My Fate Is Retrieving Lost Things

Meanwhile, on Bruny Island, Gaius and Arthur are wheeling their bicycles onto the ferry.

I feel I've forgotten something, says Gaius.

You can always get a replacement, says Arthur.

But I don't know what it is, says Gaius.

It'll be a pencil, says Arthur. You're not good with pencils.

True, says Gaius. I never seem to have one when I need one.

I've got one, says Arthur.

Gaius feels in his pockets and, finding no pencil, searches his back pack.

Hardly anything in it, says Gaius. Just dirty underwear. And an apple.

What about fish glue? says someone from behind him.

It's Jinjing, who has arrived with a message.

I threw out the fish glue, says Gaius. It was beginning to smell bad.

Ai! says Jinjing. I have a message, regarding the fish glue.

A coincidence! says Gaius. What is it?

Please send fish glue, love from Terence, says Jinjing. Those are his words.

I bet they're not, says Arthur.

All right, says Jinjing. I added the niceties. Where did you discard it?

In a bin outside the Jetty Cafe, says Gaius. Why does Terence need it?

He has two broken toes, says Jinjing.

Dear me, says Gaius. Has he still got them?

Yes. Or he wouldn't need fish glue, says Jinjing. Shall I fly to the bin and recover it?

Would you? asks Gaius.

It seems to be my fate, says Jinjing. I dived into Baby Bin Penguin for a bottle, I retrieved the lost toes from a smelly bucket, and I am now volunteering to rummage around in the garbage for discarded fish glue.

I guess you live a charmed life, says Arthur.

You deserve a medal, says Gaius.

Thank you, says Jinjing. I'll go now. Wait for me at the Oyster Cove Marina.

Jinjing flies off on his mission.

The ferry departs.

That was a worthwhile trip, says Gaius. A photograph of a forty spotted pardalote, a brief encounter with swift parrots, and a productive talk with Amanda. I only regret that we never established the whereabouts of Spotty.

Spotty? says Arthur. There was no Spotty.

We cannot be certain, says Gaius.

The ferry proceeds towards the mainland.

Gaius's phone rings.

Curses! It's Katherine! What time-wasting thing will she be wanting?