Lunch Delays Resurrection

Give me my pink thing! says Terence.

Gaius hands it back.

It is still trapped inside the magic flow ring.

Terence pulls at a pink rubber finger.

Bumhole! says Terence. It's trapped.

Shush! says Saint Roley.

It's not saying anything, says Terence. It's a rubber glove with a face on.

I know, says Saint Roley. I meant shush YOU.

Shush me, says Terence. You're funny. Help me get it out. Pull its finger.

I might pop it, says Saint Roley. Can you reach in and pull off the bread tie?

Good plan, says Terence. The air will whoosh out, and it'll be smaller.

The pink rubber glove looks alarmed.

It has only recently come into existence.

Until ten minutes ago it was flaccidly tucked in a nook in the Emirates galley.

With a twin pink rubber glove close beside him.

At least so he supposes. They were a pair.

Surely this brief span of awareness is not to end so quickly.

His eyes tell all this to Saint Roley.

Wait! says Saint Roley.

Why? asks Terence.

Let me speak to it first, says Saint Roley.

He leans closer to the magic flow ring in which the pink rubber glove is imprisoned.

If we let you down now, it may seem like the end, but it won't be.

The pink rubber glove's eyes say: WHY?

A second life awaits you, says Saint Roley. Or a third if you count the time you spent before being inflated.

Would you trust Saint Roley?

Pinky does not have much choice.

Go ahead, says Saint Roley. Let its air out.

Terence pulls off the bread tie, nicking a hole in the rubber.

The air rushes out.

It is the air of the flight attendant.

The pink rubber glove is yanked out.

Now blow it up again, says Terence.

I can't, says Saint  Roley.

Well, I can't, says Terence. Get Gaius to do it.

Saint Roley flutters up and looks over the seat.

He's just got his lunch, says Saint Roley.

What do I get? asks Terence.

The trolley comes by.

Terence gets a lunch tray. He's got quinoa salad topped with bocconcini and dark chocolate mousse with raspberry compote.

Gaius is eating grilled salmon with creamy pumpkin risoni.

Humboldt is trying the ayam masak kicap (spicy chicken with green bean sambal).

Saint Roley has special requirements and so far has got nothing.

The pink rubber glove waits in sure and certain hope of resurrection.

Good luck with that, Pinky.