Orange Dance

Where is our venue exactly? asks Vello.

In the rose garden, says Belle. The far corner, behind a large bush.

I know that corner, says David. It's tiny.

No, no, says Belle. They assured me it's quite a large corner.

I'd like to see for myself, says Vello. Coming, David?

Coming, says David. I'll bring a tape measure. And we should take the Velogram, in case he ends up doing the digging.

Good thinking, says Vello. Where is he?

The Velogram is on the floor, with his feet up, not having been offered a chair.

Feet off the wall! says Vello. We're going to the Botanical Gardens. How are you at digging?

The Velogram has been bored since he was banned from cheating in the Tour Down Under.

At least it's an outing.

Ready and willing, says the Velogram.

Vello is suspicious.

Why is his hologram ready and willing? Probably plotting.

The Velogram knows what he's thinking. Ha ha. Let him think it.

Bye, guys, says Belle. Take photos.

Will do, says David.

They leave the office and head down the stairs.

On the way down they meet someone who doesn't look much like Costa.

Hello Arthur, says David. Shu's still in the office.

Arthur stops. Where are you going? Maybe I'll come.

To the Botanical Gardens, says Vello. Dressed like that you'll fit right in. How are you at measuring?

I'm good at measuring, says Arthur.

So Arthur doesn't return to the office. He goes to the Botanical Gardens to measure the plot.

In the office, Sikong Shu and Gaius are talking about spiders.

Elodie has joined them.

Belle is attaching flowers to Celia's hat.

Saint Roley is helping Terence bleach his eyebrows.

Sweezus is furiously finishing off scene three: the final segment of Gardening Australia.

How's it going? asks Belle.

It's lacking something, says Sweezus. Costa shows the audience the orange trees and explains that fifteen years ago they wouldn't have survived in a sink hole.

It does sound a bit flat, says Belle. What about if Paquette and Brother Giroflée do an orange dance?

Yes! says Celia. We'd love to do an orange dance. Wouldn't we, Saint Roley?

How would it go? asks Saint Roley.

Knee bending and head bobbing, says Belle. That's just a suggestion.You could work on it.

Can I be in it? asks Terence.

If you stay in the middle, says Belle. Perhaps holding ribbons.

Why in the middle? asks Terence.

Belle doesn't like to tell him that his dancing would spoil it, because his legs move too stiffly.

Because you've got to hold things together, says Belle.

Yay! says Terence. But I'm not holding ribbons.

String, says Sweezus. You can hold string. That'll bring the whole thing together. Done and dusted.

Belle would have liked ribbons, which look more festive.

But string is a good-in-the-world, bringing the whole thing together.

And that's what we want.