This Ingenious Plan

Did he really say that? asks Gaius.

Mainly, says Terence.

What did you ask him? asks the neighbour.

I've forgotten, says Terence. I'll go back and ask him.

He runs back to where Denis Diderot is sitting.

Back again? says Denis. Did you happen to see the drinks trolley?

No, says Terence. This is a very long plane.

It certainly is, says Denis Diderot. By the way, I've remembered.

That's good, says Terence, because I keep forgetting.

I'll draw you a picture, says Denis. 

He whips a pencil and a small diary out of his pocket, and finds a blank page.

He draws an egg (round and tiny), a larva (with wrinkles), a pupa (with a face) and a bee (with stripes and four wings).

A bee existence, says Denis.

Can I have it? asks Terence.

Wait, says Denis. I'll draw a flower attracting the bee.

He draws a rough sort of daisy.

Now can I have it? asks Terence.

All right, says Denis. He tears out the page.

Thanks, says Terence. 

He runs back to Gaius and the neighbour.

He gave me this, says Terence.

Gaius looks at the drawing. 

He passes it on to the neighbour.

Now we can guess what Terence must have asked him, says Gaius.

The lifecycle of a bee, says the neighbour. And look, the pupa has a dear little face! 

Let's see it, says Terence. 

It looks a bit like your face, says the neighbour.

My face! says Terence. What did you call it?

A pupa, says the neighbour. 

I'm not sure a pupa has a face, says Gaius. But he may have been being fanciful.

Probably, says the neighbour. He's drawn this cute little daisy as well.

A rough attempt, says Gaius. But the bee is quite good. Anyway, thank you Terence.

But Terence is already running back to Denis Diderot.

What is it now? asks Denis Diderot.

Was that my face on the poopa? asks Terence.

It was an infant's face, says Denis. Not intended to be yours in particular.

Can you tell that to the neighbour? asks Terence.

My neighbour? asks Denis Diderot, glancing across at his neighbour, who is asleep.

No, our neighbour, says Terence. The one who wants to find out if you're married.

I suspected it was someone other than you, says Denis Diderot.

Oops! says Terence. I wasn't supposed to tell you.

Is this neighbour a female? asks Denis. 

No, says Terence. A woman.

I'll take a look, says Denis Diderot, standing up and scanning the rows in front for Gaius's head.

But I'M the message guy, says Terence.

This requires more than a message, says Denis Diderot. Don't worry I'll pretend I'm on my way to the toilet.

Terence likes this ingenious plan.