Bad Idea To Be First

Things move fast.

Arthur and Kierkegaard surf in.

Lauren and Gaius come down to the beach with a ruler.

The potatoes are set out at intervals, all the way to the track leading out of the sand hills.

They are cool now, but that can't be helped.

Arthur has a scraped knee and Kierkegaard has developed a board rash.

Which won't stop them competing.

Terence has arranged the prizes on the table in order of merit.

Medal, knucklebones, Monte Carlos.

Sweezus has told him to remove the Monte Carlos, which are not a prize.

Belle has persuaded Sweezus that whoever wins the Monte Carlos is sure to share them, so they may as well be a prize.

Sweezus has conceded.

The race can begin.

Now who's going in it?

Sweezus, Arthur, Kierkegaard, Belle, Marie and Gaius.

Not Terence. He is in charge of the crabs, and the prizes.

Not Lauren. She will stay here and judge the winner.

Because the competitors will have to run back.

Go! says Lauren.

The competitors race off, towards the first potato.

Sweezus is the first one to reach it. He picks it up, and stuffs it into his mouth. He keeps running.

He realises something.

Bad idea to be the first one to reach the second potato unless he's finished eating the first potato.

He slows. Marie races past him.

She reaches the second potato, picking it up on the run.

She begins to eat it, in short sharp bites, but she is in no hurry to be first to the third potato.

Meanwhile, back at the prize table, Terence is fiddling with the medal.

It's not fair, says Alexander-Groovy.

That's what I was thinking, says Terence. I can't win it.

None of us can win it, says Alexander-Curly.

I could, says Alexander-Red-Hook. But no one asked me.

What's this about? asks Lauren, who has nothing to do at the moment.

Terence explains that it's not fair because none of them can win the medal.

Or these lovely knuckle bones, says Lauren. I had some just like them when I was at school.

What did you do with them? asks Alexander-Red-Hook.

Lauren shows them. Throw one up, pick up another one while the first one is still in the air. Throw up those two, pick up another one, and so one until you've picked up all five.

The crabs marvel.

You still look glum, Terence, says Lauren. I know, why don't we run our own race? You, me  and the crabs, round the table. Winner gets to wear the medal until the others come back.

Yay! says Terence.

He is determined to win it. He has the best chance. Two of the crabs are declawed and Red-Hook and Lauren will probably let him win, being females.