Truncated Time

Gaius is enjoying his roasted oats and brown rice porridge.

Arthur is not.

Arthur chews steadily. His knee tingles.

Am I number two now? asks Terence.

Number two? says Gaius.

I told Jerry I was, says Terence. Because Arthur's poisoned.

I see, says Gaius. Number two in the team.

YES! says Terence. Am I?

Arthur does not appear to be poisoned, says Gaius. But I suppose he should take things easy for the rest of today.

Arthur keeps chewing.

What do you think, Arthur? You potter about in this vicinity, and I'll go further afield.

With me, says Terence.

And your parrots, says Gaius. They will be number three.

I object, says P. krameri.

So do I, says Jinjing. I'm staying with Arthur.

I withdraw my objection, says P. krameri.

Some things work out with no bother.

Come then, says Gaius. Terence and P. krameri. On foot. I'll leave my bike here with you, Arthur.

Okay, says Arthur.

What will you do? asks Gaius.

I'll ask around, says Arthur. Someone here might have seen a spotted pardalote.

Good man, says Gaius.

Off they go.

Number one, Gaius, number two, Terence, and number three, P. krameri.

Arthur stops eating his porridge and leans back in his chair.

His poem is taking shape nicely.

He tries out a few lines on Jinjing.

The green and yellow bandage, stinking of fish
Manna ripped from forked branches, tasting of cheese
Red tailed birds fight over detritus...

Excellent, says Jinjing. Very modern. Like mine.

What's yours? asks Arthur.

Just a little thing I made up in Penguin, says Jinjing. It's quite long , but here's a sample:

I enter the dark region
Seeking the wrong bottle
Fumes overpower me
I drop it.

You drop it before you find it, says Arthur.

No, I find it, then I drop it, says Jinjing. I've truncated time.

Clever, says Arthur. So the hearer intuits.

Jinjing turns a deeper shade of red in his red parts, after this praise from Arthur.

(or does he? the reader intuits)