Wiseness And Fastdom

They set off towards Victor Harbor.

Terence is in Gaius's front basket, facing forward.

So Gaius hasn't seen the new long skinny rabbit.

He is talking to Kant.

What induced you to write it? asks Gaius. What is wrong with pure reason?

One can use it to reach opposing conclusions, says Kant.

But one normally doesn't, says Gaius.

True, says Kant. But once I got started, I had to keep going.

How many pages? asks Gaius.

Eight hundred, says Kant.

A weighty tome, says Gaius. 

I don't think many readers finished it, says Kant. 

Are you all right Terence? asks Gaius.

Yes, says Terence. It's a really good view.

He is not actually looking at it.

He is staring at his long skinny rabbit.

Its features are weird.

One ear, one eye, and one half of a smiling mouth with rabbit teeth are visible. The rest disappear round the back of the rabbit. 

You would make a bad parrot, says Terence.

What did you say Terence? asks Gaius.

Nothing, says Terence.

Kant looks across at Terence.

He was saying something about a bad parrot, says Kant.

No I wasn't, says Terence.

Gaius stops cycling. So does Kant.

This must be hard for you Terence, says Gaius. You don't currently have a parrot.

Or a horse, says Terence. But at least I've got this long skinny rabbit.

Is that our thermometer? asks Kant.

No it's a long skinny rabbit, says Terence.

With the thermometer inside, pursues Kant.

Yes, says Terence. I didn't want it to blow away in the wind.

A thermometer is unlikely to blow away in the wind, says Kant.

Not the thermometer, says Terence. The wrapper.

No harm done, says Gaius. Shall we continue?

Gaius and Kant set off again, down the road.

What's this about a parrot? asks Kant.

Terence usually has one, says Gaius. It needn't be an actual parrot. Any shore bird will do. But it helps if the bird is of a particular character.

That being? asks Kant.

I'm listening, says Terence.

What type of character do you require in a parrot? asks Kant.

Wiseness, says Terence.

Wisdom, says Gaius. 

And fastdom, says Terence.

Speed, says Gaius.

And obediomdom, says Terence.

Is Terence being funny? asks Kant.

Hard to determine, says Gaius.