Gaius watches Terence and Nelly drawing epiphytes, with yellow pencils.
Nelly has drawn fronds curling out from the
horn.
A few more,
behind the giant barred frog, and the horn will merge into the background.
Terence is
drawing an epiphyte emerging from the barred frog’s cloaca.
Gaius sees himself,
at some time in the future, removing the page altogether.
Hum.
He may as
well try and get a few more hours sleep before the flight attendants bring hot
towels to wake the passengers up for their breakfast.
He pulls
the blanket over his shoulder, and tries.
It’s difficult
to sleep when one is not horizontal.
He tries to
mentally recite the periodic table.
H He Li Be
B C N O F Ne Na Mg Al C P.. P..P..P?.......the rest temporarily eludes him.
It might be
more sleep-inducing to recite some sort of poem.
What was
that one he wrote once....?
“No vessels
allowed in the areas marked in yellow”
That was
the title. But of course, he’d composed it in Latin.
Naves non
licet in regione flava.
What came
next?
No doubt, a follow-up witty comment.
He drifts
back to the time and place in which he first saw the sign....
Yes, the
sign was facing inland, so that no one on a vessel could read it
Even with
binoculars....
Ha ha. And
what had he written?
Signum non
leget non ante naves.
Yes, it was
rather witty. He should write more poems.
But sleep
still eludes him.
He is
tapped on the shoulder.
What now,
Terence?
But it’s
not Terence.
It’s Nelly’s
dad.
I’m taking
Nelly back to her seat, says Nelly’s dad.
Wonderful,
says Gaius.
Just
thought I’d let you know, in case you wondered where she was, says Nelly’s dad.
Excellent,
says Gaius.
As we did,
when we realised she was missing, says Nelly’s dad. And no one came and told
us. Is that her pencil?
I imagine
so, says Gaius.
I’ll be
taking that too, says Nelly’s dad.
He takes
the yellow pencil from Terence.
Bye Nelly,
says Terence. Thanks for helping.
Bye
Terence, says Nelly, before her dad whisks her away.
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