Night Passage

Surfing-with-Whales and Gaius come back to their recliners.

Now to try and get some sleep, says Gaius.

He lifts his backpack off the recliner and shoves it underneath.

He picks up the vinegar bottle.

What are you doing with my herring? asks Terence.

He can go on the floor, says Gaius. I don't want him in my backpack leaking all over my notes.

He'll roll away! says Terence. Let me have him.

All right, says Gaius. 

He hands Terence the vinegar bottle and sits down on the recliner.

Teeth! says Gaius.

He pulls out his  backpack and starts to feel for his toothbrush.

Finds it, and heads off to the washroom.

Surfing-with-Whales looks up from the game he had started playing.

I've got Gloopy, says Terence. 

Is that what you're calling him? asks Surfing-with-Whales.

Yes, says Terence. It's a good name. 

Yeah, he looks like a gloopy, says Surfing-with-Whales. And your shorts still smell bad, by the way.

Maybe someone should wash them, says Terence.

Like you, says Surfing-with-Whales.

Not me, says Terence. 

It sure won't be me, says Surfing-with-Whales.

Okay, says Terence.

Gaius comes back with clean teeth.

He checks his phone.

Ah! a missed call from Vello.

He calls Vello.

Gaius? says Vello. Are you expecting to be here by Thursday?

Yes, says Gaius. We're on the Spirit of Tasmania right now.

Excellent, says Vello. I'm still not sure about this AI version. It seems to have a mind of its own.

Surely not, says Gaius. Doesn't it do what it's told?

Not necessarily, says Vello. It seems to object to some parts of the script.

Example? says Gaius.

You know where you say 'He showed me how I was degrading myself by belonging to an Israelite?'

I do know, says Gaius.

Well it won't say it, says Vello.

Have you tried getting round it? asks Gaius. Or explaining the context?

Of course we have. says Vello. Sweezus is working on it. I just want to be certain you'll be there on the night, with your cushion.

I shall certainly try, says Gaius. By the way I've recently had feedback about the cushion.

Enlighten me, says Vello.

The chap in the bike hire shop in Devonport thought it was funny, says Gaius. He'd been to one of our past productions, and that was the part he remembered.

A detail! says Vello. And that's what he remembered!

He was there with his girlfriend, says Gaius.