Green Pea Thing

Are we there yet? asks the tinker.

She has asked this a few times.

They are on the long flight from Paris to Singapore.

Ben O'Connor has again been lucky. 

There is an empty seat beside him, on which he has placed the box.

Baby Pierre is relaxing in the corner of the box, in his role of lucky pebble.

The tinker has been helping Ben O'Connor with his poem.

They are tinkering with the first line.

"It was on Moncalvillo.....O hay!

I like it, says the tinker.

I know you do, says Ben O'Connor, but isn't it kind of....

What? says the tinker. 

Like a folk song, says Ben O'Connor. Maybe we should ditch the O hay.

But that's the best part, says the tinker.

She won the competition with O hay, says Baby Pierre.

What? says Ben O'Connor. She's already won it?

Oops! says Baby Pierre. Was it a secret?

I just haven't told him, says the tinker.

Best that he knows, says Baby Pierre.

I'm not finishing my poem if the competition's over, says Ben O'Connor.

But Pablo gave you an extension, says the tinker.

Pointless! says Ben O'Connor. Why should I bother?

You shouldn't, says Baby Pierre. 

I thought you were supposed to be lucky, says Ben O'Connor.

A flight attendant comes by. 

Are you having the beef pastrami with green pea and quinoa salad, or the steamed pork with Shek O preserved mustard greens, or the cheese and fusilli? asks the flight attendant.

What's Shek O? asks the tinker.

Ai, a frog! says the flight attendant. Let me deal wih it.

It's fine, says Ben O'Connor, closing the box. I'll have the beef pastrami and green pea thing.

He pulls down his tray.

The flight attendant hands him the beef pastrami and green pea thing.

Ben O'Connor starts eating. Mm. It's not bad.

Inside the box Baby Pierre and the tinker are debating.

Not about luck.

Not about the benefits of writing a poem even if the competition is finished

Not about Shek O.

But about the green pee.