You Have Cement Fingers

Your pen? No idea, says Gaius.

I lent it to Arthur, says Victor. He claims to have lost it.

Then he has lost it, says Gaius. You may borrow mine if you undertake to return it.

I can't undertake that until I see it, says Victor.

Gaius thinks this is strange.

But Victor is a policeman. He must be reliable.

Gaius feels in his pocket, but the pen isn't there.

Where did he put it?

Never mind, says Victor. Are we going?

Yes, says Gaius. I'll bring the salad bowl and Alexander-Groovy, if you'll bring the dead one.

In what? asks Victor.

Are you squeamish? asks Gaius. I imagined you carrying him by his good claw. Failing that, the packet of Monte Carlos is empty.

Victor scoops dead Alexander-Curly into the empty Monte-Carlo packet, and folds down the top.

Am I coming? asks Terence.

You may come, says Gaius. But first, let Belle know you're coming.

Terence runs down the beach to Belle, who is talking to Sweezus.

I'm going back to Lauren's shop with Gaius, says Terence.

Is he taking the crabs? asks Belle.

Yes, says Terence. Even the dead one. Victor says he has to.

How awful, says Belle.

Bye! says Terence.

Don't lose that medal, says Sweezus. It's Kierkegaard's. And hey! What happened to the knucklebones?

Don't worry! says Terence. I'll find them!

He runs back to the fold-up table, under which the knucklebones are airborne.

Woohoo! says Terence. Can you teach ME?

Probably not, says Alexander-Red-Hook. I am ideally formed to juggle, but you have cement fingers.

Not all of them, says Terence.

That's even worse, says Alexander-Red-Hook. But look. Gaius and Victor have gone back to Lauren's without me. Is the experiment over?

He probably forgot you, says Terence. Come with me.

On foot? asks Alexander-Red-Hook.

Yes, on foot, says Terence. Unless you can fly.

Bring the knucklebones, says Alexander-Red-Hook.

She starts walking, crabwise.

Terence is thinking how good it would be if Alexander-Red-Hook could fly.

Because he needs a new parrot.