Albertiz-Albertizent

Gaius and Pierre-Louis are enjoying their baked beans, spinach and feta omelette.

Terence is bored.

Is this the same journey backwards? asks Terence.

Yes, says Squattu. Train journeys are always like that.

How do you know? asks Terence.

Trains run on tracks, says Squattu. Bat's see them coming and going.

You're lucky, says Terence. You were sleeping last time. 

Yes I was, says Squattu. But right now I don't feel sleepy.

That's good, says Terence. Maybe you're giving up being nocturnal.

Maybe I am, says Squattu.

Lets go up and down the carriage in our white cloaks, says Terence.

What for? asks Squattu.

To see how long you can  stay awake for, says Terence.

It seems like a good reason.

Gaius and Pierre-Louis are still eating their sourdough toast.

I'm not fond of sourdough toast, says Gaius.

It's not my favourite either, agrees Pierre-Louis.

They don't even notice that Terence and Squattu have gone.

Three seats down the carriage a foot sticks out.

Terence trips over it.

Ha ha, laughs the foot owner.

Why did you do that? asks Terence.

I'm bored, says the foot owner, a girl. What are you wearing that cloak for?

It's a towel, says Terence. 

It's dirty, says the girl. Don't you know white shows the dirt?

Don't you know you've got food on your face? says Terence. White stuff and red stuff and grumps.

What are grumps? asks the girl, rubbing her face and making it worse.

Grainy lumps? suggests Squattu. Terence has put two words together. He's a good poet

Is that your bat toy? asks the girl.

No, says Terence. It's my parrot.

What two words have you put together to make parrot? asks the girl.

Pee and arrot, says Terence. What's your name?  

Albertine, says the girl.

That's a boy's name, says Terence.

No it isn't says Albertine. Albert is, Albertine isn't. 

You put two words together, says Terence. Albertiz-Albertizent.

Not exactly, says Albertine. Want to hang out? We could try to get to the front of the train.

Wipe your face first, Albertine, says Albertine's mother.

She hands her daughter a tissue.

Okay maman, says Albertine, wiping her face with the tissue.

She, Terence and Squattu head off down the carriage towards the front of the train.

Yay! The journey has stopped being boring.