External Things

Gaius returns from the rest room.

Surfing-with-Whales is lying back in his recliner, playing Fortnite Battle Royale.

Terence is watching.

Gaius sits down on his recliner and fiddles with the knob.

Terence, says Gaius. Can you help me with this?

Sure, says Terence. 

Sit here and pull this knob backwards, says Gaius. Meanwhile I'll go behind the seat and bear down.

Terence sits on the seat and leans sideways to pull on the knob.

This is like a video game, says Terence. Now what?

Gaius tries to force the back down.

Crunk! The back collapses and the recliner is now horizontal. 

Excellent! says Gaius. Good work Terence.

Terence gets off and Gaius gets on.

Gaius lies back. Hum. It's not quite horizontal. If anything, his head is lower than his shoulders. Yes, he can see what's behind him. This won't do.

We might need to crank it up a little, says Gaius.

What for? asks Terence.

My head is too low, says Gaius. Blood will rush to it while I'm sleeping.

Is that bad? asks Terence.

Not good for thinking, says Gaius. I'll ask Surfing-with-Whales to help.

What is it? asks Surfing-with-Whales, looking up from his Battle Royale. 

I need help adjusting this recliner, says Gaius.

What the problem? asks Surfing-with-Whales. It looks pretty flat.

Not strictly flat, says Gaius. My head is below my shoulders when I lie down.

Lie the other way round, says Surfing-with-Whales. With your head where your feet are.

I shouldn't have to, says Gaius.

Yeah, says Surfing-with-Whales. You could ask for a cushion.

Ask who? grumbles Gaius.

Staff, says Surfing-with-Whales.

Never mind, says Gaius. I'll just try reversing.

He lies with his head where his feet were. 

It's not bad.

This will do, says Gaius. Now I'll try and get some sleep, since we'll be waking up early.

How early? asks Surfing-with-Whales.

About five thirty am, says Gaius. We arrive in Devonport at six.

I might pull an all nighter, says Surfing-with-Whales.

I don't recommend it, says Gaius. 

What is it? asks Terence.

When you stay awake all night, says Surfing-with-Whales.

I always do that, says Terence.

Cool, says Surfing-with-Whales. You can stay up with me.

Gaius rolls over on his recliner, leaving them to it.

There is an inconvenient curve in the recliner, which would be fine if he were lying the other way....but he isn't....however, one should deal with these things like a stoic....what was it Marcus Aurelius said....external things are not the problem....of course he probably never had to deal with a faulty mechanism on a Spirit of Tasmania recliner.... 

With this wry thought, Gaius drifts off.