Gelati Not Quite Right

When Vello and Terence return to the campsite, Lily has gone.

It's a school day, says Paloma. She went back in the car with her dad.

What about...? begins Terence.

She left you her unicorn pyjamas, says Paloma.

Yippee! says Terence. Can I put them on?

Go ahead, says Paloma. They're in the camper.

Terence races for the camper.

Vello lingers outside.

You were up early, says Paloma. Were you cold in the camper?

Not at all, says Vello. Terence and I went out in the hopes of finding something unusual.

Like an emu-wren? asks Paloma.

No luck there, says Vello. But I did get an interesting photo.

May I see it? asks Paloma.

He shows her his snap of the thornbill.

A yellow-rumped thornbill, says Paloma. What's that on its bill?

A jellybean, says Vello. That's something you won't see every day.

It won't be able to eat! says Paloma.

It will, says Vello. I removed the jellybean. This is it.

He opens his palm, revealing the jellybean.

You've done a good deed, says Paloma.

Thank you, says the jellybean.

I believe she meant me, says Vello.

To her credit, Paloma does not show surprise.

Well, says Paloma. I'm off to plant these Osborn's Eyebright seedlings. I'll be leaving at eleven, in the camper. Make yourself at home while it's here.

Vello enters the camper.

Gaius is drinking coffee, while Kierkegaard is helping Terence step into the unicorn pyjamas.

They're too long! cries Terence.

We'll roll up the bottoms, says Kierkegaard.

Saucer! says Vello. I have found a curious object.

Must it be a saucer? asks Gaius. This is a camper. They only use mugs.

It's a jelly bean! says Terence, hopping.

Stop hopping! says Kierkegaard. Keep still. Hold onto the leg of the table.

What's curious about it? asks Gaius.

Many things, says Vello. It speaks, for one thing. But it claims to be a mouth, so perhaps that's understandable. Other characteristics it displays are inexplicable.

Gaius puts his coffee cup down.

Most things are explicable, says Gaius.

It commented on my hat, says Vello.

Who wouldn't? says Kierkegaard looking up from his pyjama bottom rolling.

It is a good hat, says Vello. But the point is, it must have seen it.

The question is, says the jellybean, what with? And here's another one. How do I know the capital of Italy?

It thinks it's being tested, says Vello. I assured it it wasn't.

What is the capital of Italy? asks Gaius.

Gelati, says the jellybean.

Not quite right, says Gaius.

Ha ha, you need to bone up! says Terence.

You can talk, says the jellybean. You look like an old man with your trousers rolled up at the bottom.

I DO NOT! shouts Terence.

I grow old, I grow old
I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled, says the jellybean.

Remarkable! It quotes T S Eliot, says Gaius.