I'm All The Others

Camus and Terence return to the police car with the gecko shorts.

Can I do it? asks Terence.

Certainly, says Camus.

You'll have to lift me, says Terence.

Camus lifts Terence onto the bonnet.

Terence is on his knees examining the bird poo.

Don't move about too much, says Camus. 

Why not? asks Terence.

Scratches. says Camus. Victor won't like them.

Give me the gecko shorts, says Terence.

Victor hands them to him.

Now tip the water, says Terence.

Camus tips some tap water onto the bird poo.

Terence starts rubbing.

Bumhole! mutters Terence.

What is it? asks Camus.

This is hard, says Terence. And the geckoes keep moving.

Impossible! says Camus. And why does it matter?

I don't want the geckoes to get ruined, says Terence. I really love these geckoes.

That doesn't leave much cloth for the cleaning job, says Camus.

Can you fold it? asks Terence.

He hands the shorts to Camus. 

Stay in that position, says Camus.

Okay, says Terence.

Camus folds the gecko shorts with most of the geckoes turned inwards.

Except for one.

What about that one ? asks Terence. It's staring at me.

It's the sacrificial one, says Camus.  

What does that mean? asks Terence.

The one that takes a punishment on behalf of all the others, says Camus.

Like you, says Terence.

Not like me, says Camus. 

I stole the car keys, says Terence. So I'm all the others.

You're a minor, says Camus. You won't be punished.

Nor will this gecko, says Terence.

He stands up, and takes off his parrot shorts.

He hands them to Camus.

He puts on his old faded gecko shorts.

They've got poo on them, says Camus 

Not on their faces, says Terence.

The geckoes stare beadily. That's good to know.

Terence kneels again. 

Camus hands him the parrot shorts and tips more water onto the poo.

Terence wipes. Squeh-squuh-squeh-squuh.

The bird poo is now on the parrot shorts.

Terence doesn't care. 

Camus lifts Terence down from the bonnet.

Terence runs back to the beach.

Camus takes a look at the cleaning job.

Sees all the scratches.

Alors! Perhaps he should leave now.

He looks across at his electric vehicle.

If only he still had the keys!