Gaius finds the building Marx stayed in for the Marxism Conference.
He goes in.
He goes up the stairs. Which room was it?
Ah yes, this one.
He knocks.
A student opens the door.
Are you missing a blanket? asks Gaius.
No, says the student. When I moved in I was, but they found me another one.
You're in luck, says Gaius. Here is the one that was missing.
No kidding, says the student. That's awesome. It's cold here at night.
Not as cold as it was where I and my colleaues have just been, says Gaius. The Central Highlands.
Yeah? says the student. How come there are no dead leaves on the blanket?
It's been laundered, says Gaius. And there was more on it than simply dead leaves.
I don't need to know that, says the student.
No, you don't, says Gaius. We never really knew what it was ourselves. Some sort of pink stuff. Irrelevant in any case. We were looking for endangered Leadbeater's possums.
Find any? asks the student.
A few, says Gaius.
Are they those small ones? asks the student,
Very small, says Gaius. And interestingly, the young ones are open to new ideas, whereas their parents are not.
Tell me about it, says the student, thinking of his own parents.
It's encouraging to see you have an interest, says Gaius, but I must get back to my colleagues. We need to return to Adelaide as soon as possible.
Okay, thanks for the blanket, says the student.
Marx lent it to me, says Gaius. I imagine you've heard of him.
Did he use it? asks the student.
He stayed in this room, says Gaius. So I imagine he used it.
Karl Marx? says the student. I'm definitely using this blanket.
A hero of yours? asks Gaius.
Yeah...kind of, says the student. He's famous.
Then you'll be interested to know that he's commentating on this year's Tour de France.
Cool, says the student. When is that?
Gaius is surprised.
I thought everyone knew when the Tour de France was, says Gaius.
Only kidding, says the student. I'll be glued to it. I always download the live app.
That's more like it, says Gaius. Enjoy your extra blanket.
The student shuts the door.
Unrolls the blanket.
A red blanket with a pale pink patch.
He sniffs it.
It just smells like wool.
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