Waiting Song

Brad knocks on the door of the cabin.

Humboldt opens.

Ageless enters backwards, dragging a packet of pasta.

I found them! says Terence.

What? says Humboldt, rubbing his eyes.

Wheels! says Terence. And we've got hundreds!

Too many! says Ageless. But they wouldn't split the packet.

So we bought sauce as well, says Brad.

He hands Humboldt a bottle of sauce.

Very kind, says Humboldt. That will go nicely after all the apples we've eaten. How much do I owe you?

Five dollars'll do it, says Brad. Can I come in and see Pinky?

Certainly, says Humboldt. Come in. Perhaps you'd like to stay for lunch. We'll be having the pasta.

No! cries Terence. Those are our wheels.

Himmel! says Humboldt, looking closely at the pasta. How do they make pasta that shape?

Dunno, says Brad. They probably stamp it, before it hardens.

Imagine! says Humboldt.

He and Brad imagine, while Terence tries to open the packet.

He pulls at the top.

Nothing happens.

He places it on the floor, and sits on it, hard.

Foof! It explodes. Wheels roll about on the lino.

What's happening! says Gaius, who has been dozing.

Brad's brought lunch, says Humboldt.

Not lunch, wheels, says Terence. Wah! Some of them are broken!

Pick them up, says Gaius. We'll sort them into broken and whole ones.

I need four whole ones, says Terence. For my idea.

Brad spies Pinky.

Hello. How are you doing?

O you know, says Pinky. The day is long. We're waiting for night time. We shouldn't have to but we have to because the snakes are asleep in the plum box.

Why night time? asks Brad.

Kobo and I need the plum box, says Pinky. Ageless is making it into a car. Terence is helping. So far it's only got pencil axles and two extra holes the snakes' tails are hanging out of.

I see, says Brad. What's the car for?

Rolling along the beach, says Pinky. Like two ladies, painted by Picasso.

Don't know that one, says Brad. Was it day time or night time?

Day time, says Kobo.

Tell you what, says Brad. After lunch I'll give you a trial run in the sauce bottle.

Would you? asks Kobo. We would LOVE that.

Sure, says Brad.

Humboldt boils some water for the pasta, which Terence has sorted, reserving four of the best wheels with holes in.

While the pasta is cooking, Pinky sings a waiting song.

The day is long
But not so long
If something happens
After lunch.

How true, says Gaius. Terence! What are you doing?

Nothing, says Terence.

Nothing which is:

Carefully pressing the pasta wheels onto the ends of the pencils sticking out from the plum box.

But oops!

That wasn't a pencil!