Not A Knob

Pierre-Louis unpacks the new drone.

Can I do it? asks Terence.

After I read the instructions, says Pierre-Louis.

He reads the instructions.

Terence looks at the controller.

Two joysticks and a screen. How does that need intructions?

He pushes the left joystick UP.

The DJ1 Mini2 rises.

Terence watches himself getting smaller and smaller on the screen.

It works! says Terence.

What are you doing? says Pierre-Louis. 

He looks up.

The DJ1 Mini2 is still rising.

Bring it down! says Pierre-Louis. No actually, I'll do it.

He takes the controller from Terence.

Which knob did you use?

It's not a knob, it's a joystick, says Terence. 

Which one?

This one, says Terence.

Then the other one should bring it down, says Pierre-Louis.

It seems he has never played a game with a joystick.

He pushes the right joystick down.

The DJ1 Mini2 heads across to the neighbour's back garden, and gets lodged in a tree.

Merde! cries Pierre-Louis.

Let me do it! cries Terence.

He jiggles the left joystick.

No joy.

The drone remains stuck in the tree.

Gaius comes out with Squattu.

She's feeling much better, says Gaius. She just needs some air. Did you get the drone going?

I did, says Terence. But Pierre-Louis sent it into a tree.

I imagine that happens a lot, to first time users, says Gaius. Which tree?

Next door, says Pierre-Louis.

Roo-kai will get it, says Terence.

But Roo-kai isn't here. He has gone to find something for breakfast.

Let me, says Squattu.

If you feel up to it, says Gaius.

Just watch, says Squattu.

She flies over the neighbour's fence, and lands in the neighbour's tree, next to the DJ1 Mini2.

Can you see her? asks Pierre-Louis. 

No, says Gaius. Too many leaves in the way.

I can, says Terence. On the screen here.

Squattu is grinning into the camera.

She is waving her bat wing. 

Now she is reaching forward with her bat claw and everything is shaking.

The tree trunk is seen, shooting upwards.

Woop! says Terence. She did it. 

Can we stop it before it hits the ground? asks Gaius.

I don't know how to, says Pierre-Louis. I haven't read all the intructions.

Terence pushes the left joystick UP, and then RIGHT.

DJ1 Mini2 heads straight for the neighbour's ornamental bird bath.

Zoom.

UP! shouts Squattu. When you reach fence height, turn 180 degrees and then ....

What? shouts Terence.

The neighbour pops her head over the fence.

Is this your drone? asks the neighbour.

Somehow the neighbour has caught it.

Yes, says Gaius. Apologies. It's new.

Thought I saw a bat in the garden, says the neighbour, but it was this thing.

She hands the drone back to Gaius.

We're taking it to the Victorian Central Highlands, says Gaius. 

Lots of trees there, says the neighbour. Better learn how to control it, before you go.

Indeed, says Gaius.

Wisely, he decides not to mention the bat.