Understanding Ethics

By the time they were walking down the Town Hall staircase Lavender had regained her composure.

That was horrible, she said, everyone was horrible, why did we have to go there?

I told you, said Ageless. I am interested in ethical and health issues.

Why? asked Lavender.

Baby Pierre wanted to kick her. Mainly because it was what he had wanted to ask.

Because, said Ageless, we have an aging population in this country.

But you're a lobster, said Lavender. So you don't care. None of us should care.

You don't understand ethics, said Ageless. Ethics is thinking about those who are different from you.

Like Frog, said Baby Pierre.

Ah yes, like young Frog, said Ageless. How is Frog by the way? I was wondering why he didn't come with you.

Baby Pierre couldn't believe it.

You don't remember? he spluttered. You dropped on him from a window ledge and killed him, on purpose.

Ageless looked shifty.

Did I? he said. Dear me. He was a plucky little tomato. But his time had come.

He was my best friend, said Baby Pierre.

Lavender giggled.

You don't understand ethics either, she said.

Luminarium

The Premier Mike Rann is furious when he hears how the Velosophers have been treated. He arranges a meeting with them at once.

The Premier: I'm terribly sorry, gentlemen, that you weren't allotted a suitable tent. It's quite outrageous. I can only say that I'm doing everything in my power to put things right.

Le Bon David: Oh that's perfectly alright, Premier. We are used to young people not knowing who we are.

The VeloDrone: Speak for yourself, David. I am not used to it.

The Premier: Dear me. Young people. But they are wonderful in other ways of course. Now, I'm trying to arrange for you to have free use of the Luminarium in Rymill Park. Otherwise known as the Amococo Tent. There's plenty of room in it for your bicycle tricks and lots of interesting little corners for your knockabout brand of stand-up comedy.

The VeloDrone: I beg your pardon. Did you say knockabout?

The Premier: Why, was that wrong?

The VeloDrone: We don't do knockabout standup. We do philosophy. And impressions.

The Premier: Oh really? I thought..... with the bicycles.... Well, well. And who do you do?

Le Bon David: Abbott and Costello, Laurel and Hardy.

The Premier: Ah! Who's on first?

Le Bon David: Yes. What's on second.

The Premier: And your philosophy?

The VeloDrone: Our philosophy concerns Ethics and Economics. For instance, I believe the general public pay two dollars entry to this Amococo Tent. Where does that leave us? How much........

The Premier: Unfortunately I seem to be late for a meeting. We shall have to continue this interesting discussion another time. Goodbye, gentlemen. Enjoy our fabulous Fringe!

joes kiosk

i'm sitting outside joes kiosk at henley sheltered from the wind and sun

eating a banana icecream in a cone because pat's just bought me one

it's a double-decker and i think about the ethics of throwing half of it away

because i really only want a little one today


the ferry doesn't go from lucky bay now did you know

says pat licking her unintentionally smaller boysenberry cone

that means when sue drives over she will have a lot further to go

but she's like you it doesnt bother her she just goes with the flow


i am going with the flow i'm looking out to the horizon at the light

shining glinting thickly teeming silver fishes all moving to the right

they're undulating on the surface of the water and they're bright

and silvergold and squirming and their sides are nearly touching and they might