Nothing But Nothing Is Nothing

Perhaps we don't all know what that means.

Terence is about to take a bite of a peach.

One of two things can happen.

1. Terence chokes on the peach and falls backwards into the fountain.

2. Someone emerges from a nearby arcade wearing an orange jumpsuit, and confiscates the peach.

3. Nothing. (But nothing is nothing).

Uch-uh!

Terence is choking.

Sweezus arrives just as the fruit fly officer is emerging.

Sweezus grabs Terence before he falls into the fountain, and sets him upright.

He whacks Terence hard on the back.

Shoo-oong! The peach chunk shoots onto the pavers.

The fruit fly officer picks it up.

Can't be too careful, says the fruit fly officer.

I wasn't, says Terence.

May I see the rest of the peach? asks the officer.

Terence has dropped it into the fountain.

I'll get it, says Sweezus, reaching in.

Are you his dad? asks the officer.

No, says Sweezus, but he's with me.

Did you pack this peach in his lunch box? asks the officer.

Sweezus is saved from answering that he didn't by T S Eliot, who is also at the fountain.

I must fess up, says T S Eliot. I gave the little fellow the peach.

You shouldn't give fruit to kids you don't know, says Sweezus.

I'm giving them out as a promotion for my Fringe show, says T S Eliot.

So you're not a local, says the fruit fly officer. I must inform you that we have an outbreak of fruit fly in the suburbs and no fruit is allowed in kids' lunchboxes until further notice.

I don't have a lunch box, says Terence. Can I have my peach back?

No, says the fruit fly officer. The peach must be destroyed.

He places the peach in a ziplock bag, and takes it away to destroy it.

What if it had a fly in? asks Terence.

The fly will be destroyed, says T S Eliot. All my fault. I am sorry.

Why is your face green? asks Terence.

Why didn't you ask me that when I gave you the peach? asks T S Eliot.

Because it wasn't green then, says Terence.

It does come and go, says T S Eliot.