Itchy Ankle

Jetstar.

Gaius and Elodie are on the afternoon flight to Perth.

Elodie has bought them a muffin.

She breaks it in half.

Then she remembers their fellow traveller.

Want some muffin? she asks Baby Pierre.

What kind is it? asks Baby Pierre.

He won't eat anything, says Gaius, picking at his half of muffin.

I like to keep abreast of the times, says Baby Pierre.

What does that mean? asks Elodie.

Knowing what's in the muffin, says Baby Pierre.

Looks like currants, says Gaius. Or flies.

They're not flies, says Elodie.

Thank you, says Baby Pierre.

What for? asks Elodie.

The definitive answer, says Baby Pierre.

Is he showing off? asks Elodie.

What? says Gaius. No of course not. He's a pebble. Now what did I do with my notebook?

It's right in front of you, says Elodie. Behind the Jetstar magazine.

Gaius drags it out. Opens the notebook. Jupiter's jamjars! He's brought the wrong one.

What's up? asks Elodie.

Gaius shows her the title page. Deadly Frog Fungus.

Wrong notebook? asks Elodie.

Mm, says Gaius. This is my frog notebook. Deadly Frog Fungus.

Chytridiomycosis, says Elodie.

Is she showing off? asks Baby Pierre.

No, of course not, says Gaius.

This is a very long flight, says Baby Pierre. Can I get some excercise?

I suppose you want your bicycle, says Gaius.

Yes please, says Baby Pierre.

Gaius stands up and opens the overhead locker. He unzips the front compartment of his back pack and takes out a tiny bicycle with wheels made of green fluoroelastane.

How cute! says Elodie. Is he going to ride it up and down the aisle? Won't he get into trouble.

No way, says Baby Pierre.

He's ridden in the Tour Down Under, says Gaius. He won't get into trouble.

Baby Pierre hops onto his tiny bicycle. Whee!

He speeds down the aisle into business class where there's more room.

He does slides, wheelies, bunny hops and stoppies, while business men and women stare at their laptops.

Until someone with an itchy ankle looks down.