On The Uptake

I must ask you to move back to your own seat, sir, says a flight attendant.

Oh, all right, says Denis Diderot.

Nice talking to you, says Henriette.

You too, says Denis. Perhaps we'll meet again.

Perhaps you could write me a letter, says Henriette.

Denis laughs.

You could finish your mystery story, says Henriette.

Then I shall need an address, says Denis.

An email address, says Henriette. Then we'll both have a copy.

Sir! says the flight attendant. 

Denis stands up. 

I'll send our message guy, for the address, says Denis. 

Bye then, says Henriette.

Denis goes back to his seat next to the woken-up guy.

Finished? asks Gaius.

On the contrary, says Denis. We're swapping email addresses.

Gaius stands up. 

Terence has jumped down already, not having been stuck. 

He runs back to the empty seat beside Henriette.

Gaius returns a few seconds later.

Just in time for the lunch trolley, says Gaius. I see it coming.

I smell it, says Henriette.

What does it smell like? asks Terence.

Chicken, says Henriette. By the way, Terence, could I ask you to give Denis a message?

Yes, says Terence. Go on.

She scribbles her email address onto a small piece of paper, and hands it to Terence.

Terence stands there, waiting.

Go, says Gaius. The lunch trolley is coming. 

When she asks me, says Terence.

She asked you, says Gaius.

She asked me if she could ask me, says Terence. And I said yes, but she didn't.

Is he always like this? asks Henriette.

Not always, says Gaius. Sometimes I think he does it on purpose. He can be quite quick on the uptake.

Terence likes hearing that he can be quick on the uptake.

He decides not to wait until Henriette asks him to take the meassage to Denis, but simply to go.

Off he goes, on the uptake.

Gaius continues explaining to Henriette some of the ways in which Terence has been helpful.

He was in charge of the thermometer, says Gaius. Although he was not allowed in the sea.

I can understand that, says Henriette. He would have kept sinking.

It has happened, says Gaius. He also kept records of the numbers of dead pipis we found at Goolwa, although his grasp of addition was imperfect.

Then how did he keep records? asks Henriette. 

He has a parrot, who is very good at addition, says Gaius.

Henriette thinks this might be a good time to say something about herself.

I'm good at addition, says Henriette. 

Gaius is about to ask her more on this topic, but the lunch trolley has arrived, smelling of chicken

Chicken salad with edamame and pickled ginger dressing? asks the trolley attendant.

Is there a vegan choice? asks Henriette.

Mustard fried cauliflower with onion puree and cucumber salad, says the trolley attendant. It's usually just on the business class menu, but we have quite a lot left over.

I wonder why that is, says Gaius.