The word FOO

These might be a bit big, says Bertille. But there's a drawstring.

Rusty looks at the shorts she has brought him.

They are patterned with rainbows.

Rusty looks at Terence.

Terence looks at the shorts.

The rainbows could be lizards, says Terence. If they had legs.

And faces, says Rusty. 

But they don't, says Terence.

They're old shorts, says Bertille. I don't mind if the rainbows are turned into lizards.

There's no time for that, says Jean-Paul. It's rainbow shorts or nothing.

I'll bring my black marking pen, says Bertille. I'll turn the rainbows to lizards while we're going along.

Have you got two marking pens? asks Terence.

No, says Bertille. And anyway you're in charge of the elysia.

Yes, says Terence. I'm going to explain his life to him.

Keep it simple, says Gaius.

Rusty tries on the shorts. 

Bertille tightens the drawstring. 

He dances about. They do not fall down.

Mathilde appears, with a back pack.

Picnic lunch, says Mathilde. I heard that the café food was pretty ordinary.

Everyone gets in the car.

Jean-Claude and Mathilde in the front, Bertille, Gaius, Terence and Rusty in the back.

Not enough seat belts, says Bertille. 

I'll sit on your lap, says Rusty. That way you can work on my lizards.

That's okay, says Mathilde. Rusty doesn't need a seat belt.

That means I don't, says Terence,

You do, says Gaius. Because of the elysia.

Yay! says Terence. Can I start talking to him now?

Go ahead, says Gaius.

Jean-Claude turns on the car radio.

Thump thump thump.

Bertille starts drawing lizard legs on the rainbows

Gaius looks through the window at the Breton scenery. (Cliffs, rocks, fishing boats, sea).

Terence lowers his head as close as he can to the surface of the water, in which the elysia is bobbing, opening and closing its mouth.

Good work, says Terence. Keep eating. Any questions?

The elysia bobs faster. It does have a few questions.

Its mouth seems to form the word FOO.