Would He Be In Pieces?

The cabin lights are turned on. Snooze time is over.

Gaius is surprised at how well he has slept.

Terence is under the blanket beside him.

How good he has been.

But wait, that is not Terence. It's his parakeet, P. krameri.

Where is Terence? asks Gaius.

No reply.

Gaius pokes P. krameri.

Squawk! P. krameri is startled awake.

Where is Terence?

I don't know, says P. krameri. Is it breakfast time yet?

Patience, says Gaius. When did you last see him?

I had a dream, says P krameri. He was in it.

That is not helpful, says Gaius.

I dreamed I was back in the Jardin des Plantes, says P. krameri. I was raiding the tomatoes. Isidore was flapping his hands, shouting Away Away!

And where was Terence? asks Gaius.

Luring me to a table, says P krameri. The overall tone of my dream was regretful.

Regretful? says Gaius. I will deal with that later. Just now I need to find Terence.

He went that way, says Mouldy.

Thank you, Mouldy, says Gaius. I should have asked you in the first place.

He stands up and heads down the aisle in the direction that Mouldy was pointing.

Four rows down, he spots Terence.

Terence has squeezed into a seat with a very small girl.

She has a toy parrot.

Ah, there you are, Terence! says Gaius.

Terence looks down.

Yes, here he is, it hardly needs saying.

You shouldn't move seats, says Gaius. What if we crashed?

Huh? says Terence.

No one would know who you were, says Gaius. They might think you were this little girl for instance.

Would he be in pieces? asks the very small girl.

Quite possibly, says Gaius. But I haven't come here to alarm you. Breakfast is coming.

I'm busy, says Terence. We both have parrots. We're swapping notes.

Very commendable, says Gaius. What differences have you noted?

The little girl's mother waves a piece of paper at Gaius.

All these, says the mother. Chen is so clever.

Like me, says Terence.

Would Chen like to see Terence's parrot? asks Gaius. It's a real parrot with a parrot passport. And then there is Mouldy. He is a pebble travelling on a parrot passport, I'm sure your daughter would be interested in the comparison.

Would you like to, Chen? asks her mother.

O yes, ma, says Chen.

She picks up her toy parrot and follows Gaius and Terence back to their seats.

Let's hope Chen doesn't miss out on breakfast.