Birthday Card.

The VeloDrone was happy with the way his sketch had turned out. He reached for his coloured pencils. What colours made up the sea today? Blue, green and grey, the colours of a Queensland Blue pumpkin. He knew that because he had recently seen a Queensland Blue pumpkin.

He looked again at the sea. Suddenly he froze. Could it be, surely not, that woman again? She was walking along the shore with the same man she'd sat next to at the Bakehouse Theatre, and she was looking at the pieces of coconut.

She was not as interested in the coconut as she seemed. She was thinking of pumpkins. The sea is the colour of a Queensland Blue pumpkin, she thought. The ripples on the sand are like bumps on a pumpkin skin. She too, that morning, had reached for her coloured pencils. She too had chosen blue, green and grey, although not in that order. She had been colouring eight tiny pumpkins that she had drawn with a ballpoint pen and cut out with awkward large scissors one at a time to stick inside a birthday card she had made for her mother.

Day Off

Le Bon David and the VeloDrone have the day off. They decide to cycle down to Henley Beach and relax in the sun. Leaving their bicycles under a pine tree, they struggle through the soft sand with all their things.

Le Bon David: Phew! Why did we bring all these things?

The VeloDrone: Umbrella, towels, books, sketch pad, pencils, bottles of water, coconut, sun cream, hats. We'll need them all.

They set up their umbrella, spread out the towels, and sit down. Le Bon David begins to read. The VeloDrone starts sketching.

He sketches the horizon. It is very flat. He draws some waves. They are of medium size, perhaps even small. He draws the ripples in the sands and the glittering shallow pools and a seagull. He rubs out the seagull. Lucky I brought my rubber, he thinks.

But now there is a smudge on the page. I need to draw something else in that spot, he thinks. But unfortunately there isn't anything there. He looks at his friend for inspiration.

Le Bon David is happily munching on a large chunk of coconut, while turning the pages of his novel, The Mandarins, by Simone de Beauvoir. He is chuckling.

What's so funny? asks The VeloDrone.

Hee hee, says Le Bon David. Jean Paul Sartre is in it.

What a laugh, says The VeloDrone, grabbing at the book. Let me see!

No, I'm reading it, protests Le Bon David, but too late. The VeloDrone has run off down the beach with The Mandarins.

Vello! Bring back that book! calls David, chucking the large piece of coconut at his friend, followed by several more.

Eventually The VeloDrone tires of his game, and of being bruised by large chunks of coconut. He skips back to the umbrella, and returns the book to his friend.

Ugh! It's all wet! says Le Bon David. I hope you're satisfied.

He looks sternly at The VeloDrone, who has already forgotten all about him. He is happily drawing coconut chunks over his smudge.