Bike Trick Language

Seven ten pm. The park beckons.

Baby Pierre zooms across the road.

He cycles down a footpath, until he bumps into a wall.

But no. It isn't a wall. And it wasn't a footpath.

Baby Pierre has come off. He hopes no one was watching.

No chance. Pebbles are always watching.

Always on the lookout for other pebbles. Pebbles with hubris.

Come off? asks a mouldy pebble.

Stoppie, says Baby Pierre.

What language is that? asks the mouldy pebble.

Bike trick language, says Baby Pierre. Stoppies are endos.

You crashed into a Moreton Bay fig tree, says the mouldy pebble. Admit it.

Okay, says Baby Pierre. I'm new here.

That your bike? asks the mouldy pebble.

Yes, says Baby Pierre. It's got special wheels made of fluoroelastane.

Woop, says the mouldy pebble.

Two dirty pebbles roll up to view the fluoroelastane wheels which are crazily spinning.

This park isn't safe at night, says one dirty pebble.

It is for me, says Baby Pierre.

How come? asks the dirty pebble.

I've got two and a half hours where nothing bad can happen to me, says Baby Pierre.

How did you get them? asks Mouldy.

Yeah, says First Dirty. And how come you're so sure?

Because it would have happened already, says Baby Pierre, and it hasn't, so it can't for two and a half hours in the future.

But what makes you think it would have happened already? says Second Dirty. That's mental.

Yeah, mental, agrees Mouldy.

A phone call, says Baby Pierre. I'm from Adelaide, where it's two and a half hours in the future. My friends were just talking with people in Adelaide and they didn't say ANYTHING.

Which ones? asks First Dirty.

None of them, says Baby Pierre. What time is it? I'm wasting my luck standing here.

No you aren't, says Second Dirty. We're dangerous pebbles.

Foof! says Baby Pierre. Have you seen my Mark?

No, says Mouldy. What mark?

The Mark of the Claw, says Baby Pierre.

In the dim light of the inadequate park lighting filtering through the leaves of the fig tree, the pebbles see the dark image on Baby Pierre. A tulip? A camel?

Who hasn't got marks? says First Dirty.

Heh-heh! laughs Second Dirty. You just can't see ours.

That's too bad, says Baby Pierre. People respect you if you have a cool marking. I'm going to be in a movie. Or a live performance. Or pose for a statue.

How come you don't know which? asks Mouldy.

I will tomorrow, says Baby Pierre. That's why I have to practise. Want to give me some feedback?

It's quite dull in this park, on normal evenings, except for the odd mugging.

And here is a pebble with hubris.

Yes, they will give him some feedback.

You can be in it, says Baby Pierre. It's a movie. I'm riding to Lake Jasper and you guys are the spiders.

It's the first time Mouldy, First Dirty and Second Dirty have been in a movie, as spiders.

They jump at the challenge.

Time Travel

Perth. Bailey's Motel.

Gaius calls David in Adelaide.

David: Hello.

Gaius: What time is it?

David : Nine thirty.

Gaius: Did I wake you from slumber?

David: No chance of that. You'll be pleased to know Arthur is coming.

Gaius: Good. Did he find my notebook?

David: He did, and he's bringing two knives and a pencil.

Gaius: Excellent.

David: How's everything?

Gaius: We've found a motel. Only seventy three dollars a night. Just about to go and have dinner at the Italian restaurant.

David: Have you found out how to get to Lake Jasper?

Gaius: Not yet, but we're meeting Grace Swan in the morning. She's offered to help us.

David: Wonderful. Why?

Gaius: She has a proposition for Baby Pierre. She works for PICA.

David: Never heard of it.

Gaius: Perth Institute for Contemporary Arts.

David: Arts. A proposition....hmm.

Gaius: It may mean a short delay, but that won't matter since you're not arriving till Thursday.

David: True enough. Burp!

Gaius: I know what you had for dinner!

David: Ha ha. It tasted like carpet.

The call ends on this note of joviality.

Come on, says Elodie. I'm starving. It's been such a long day.

Indeed it has, says Gaius. It's nine thirty in Adelaide.

What is it here? asks Baby Pierre.

Seven, says Elodie.

Woo! says Baby Pierre.

They really did fly backwards.

I'm going to ride my bike round that park, says Baby Pierre. While you guys eat your dinner.

Okay, says Elodie. Just be careful.

Zoom! He's got two and a half hours extra! Back home it's nine thirty. He doesn't need to be careful.

Erigeron, Wormwood And Moly

Sikong Shu is bleeding, but not profusely.

Arthur is soaking up blood.

It's not very absorbent, complains Sikong Shu.

It was the first thing I found, says Arthur.

Sikong Shu looks at the red paper.

You tore it out of this notebook, says Sikong Shu. Is it the one Gaius wanted?

It's only page one, says Arthur.

I've stopped bleeding now, says Shu. I think we should try and restore this page one. Page ones are important.

Bound to be, says Arthur.

But he doesn't do it.

Shu spreads the page one on the table, smearing it further.

Does Gaius have a hair drier? he asks.

Arthur is about to say no, when he remembers that Gaius sometimes looks surprisingly coiffured.

He goes into the bathroom.

Yes. There is a small green hair drier in the bathroom cabinet.

Along with several packets, marked Erigeron, Wormwood and Moly.

He takes the hair drier into the kitchen.

Shu dries page one, while Arthur watches.

The blood turns brown and forms a crumpled spidery picture.

Shu sighs. He wishes to broach a subject, but how?

I might go to Lake Jasper after all, says Arthur.

O joy!

Was it the knife fight? asks Shu. You and I fought like two snake beans.

I've run out of money, says Arthur.

I have money, says Shu.

O, foolish!

Let's go and tell David you're coming, says Shu.

Arthur picks up the two knives. And a pencil. Shu picks up page one.

Where's the rest of it?

Arthur is already leaving.

Shu grabs a stack of random notebooks, and hurries after him.

The kitchen is quiet, except for a fridge noise.

No Lavender, weeping.

Because she has gone too.

The Space In The Shape

Shu phones Arthur.

Arthur's phone rings.

Arthur looks at the number. He doesn't know it. He answers.

What is it?

Arthur, says Shu. It's me . Urgent message from Gaius.

He's forgotten something, says Arthur.

His notes on Project Maratus, says Shu.

What are you eating,? asks Arthur.

Dinner, says Shu.

Sounds like you're chewing on carpet, says Arthur.

Rockmelon rind, says Shu. You should try it.

Sure, says Arthur. So where are these notes he's forgotten?

At his house, says Shu. And he said you know where the spare key is.

I do, says Arthur.

Can we meet there? asks Shu.

No need, says Arthur. I'll go.

But I want to, says Shu. I'll get Katherine to box up some leftovers.

Arthur is hungry. He has long since spent the tin money. But leftover carpet?

Gruurrr. His belly rumbles.

Okay, says Arthur. Meet you there.

.....

Twenty minutes later, at Gaius's house.

Arthur lets himself in.

He turns the lights on.

Ommmm! a hum from the window sill.

Arthur? a whisper from a jumble of stones.

Arthur goes into Gaius's workroom.

Notebooks, notebooks, diagrams and maps. More notebooks.

He picks one. The Endangered Bandy Bandy. Not that.

He picks another. A smiling picture of Daniel O'Connell, the spider from Romania. Not that one either.

He decides to wait in the kitchen for Shu.

Arthur! It's that voice again. He knows it.

Lavender, says Arthur.

I thought you'd gone to Lake Jasper with Gaius and Baby Pierre, says Lavender.

I haven't, says Arthur. I might not even go.

Why not? asks Lavender. I would go in a heartbeat.

Why didn't you? asks Arthur.

She turns her mouth down.

No room, says Lavender.

Come on, says Arthur. You're a space in the shape of a fossil.

I LOVE you! says Lavender.

Arthur is not sure why she loves him for telling her what her shape is.

What? says Lavender. You said come on.

I meant that couldn't be the reason, says Arthur.

But I'm coming now, aren't I, says Lavender.

A gingery smell wends its way to Arthur's nostrils.

It's the leftovers. Shu has arrived.

Here we are, says Shu. Tuck in. It's still warm. I brought chopsticks.

He is hopeful he and Arthur might have a friendly fight with the chopsticks, later on.

Arthur starts eating the stir fry. It's not just rockmelon rind. It's chicken and ginger. And green bits.

Watermelon rind, says Shu. For contrast.

Arthur eats the whole lot, it's quite yummy.

Then he and Shu look for Gaius's notes on Project Maratus.

This time Arthur spots them.

He gives them to Shu.

Then he goes into the kitchen and opens a cutlery drawer.

He pulls two sharp knives out.

Shu has followed.

Ai! Even better than chopsticks!

Double Happiness

The Jetstar flight lands in Perth.

It's four fifteen pm, but feels later.

I don't get it, says Baby Pierre.

Time zones, says Elodie. It's like we flew backwards.

Luckily, Gaius isn't listening, and David's not here.

Because it's not like they flew backwards.

Gaius is looking for a bus to the CBD.

Here comes one.

They get on.

I must contact Arthur, says Gaius.

He tries. But Arthur doesn't answer.

Why do you want him? asks Elodie.

I need him to find my notes on Project Maratus, says Gaius.

Try Shu, says Elodie. He's got a new phone.

She gives Gaius the number. He tries.

Ni hao, says Shu.

Shu, says Gaius, we're in Perth and I've brought the wrong notes. Are you at my house?

No, says Shu, I'm at David's. His mother Katherine is cooking.

Very nice, says Gaius. What is she cooking?

A stir fry with slices of rockmelon rind, says Shu.

The rind? asks Gaius.

She wasn't going to use the rind, says Shu. I always use it.

Most commendable, says Gaius. What does it taste like? I imagine something like carpet.

Not at all, says Shu. Crunchy.

Will you be going past my house? asks Gaius. I'd like you to drop in and pick up my notebook.

I don't have a key, says Shu.

Arthur knows where the spare key is, says Gaius.

Good, says Shu. A genuine reason to contact Arthur. You've just made my day.

I thought the rockmelon rind was doing that, says Gaius.

Ha ha, laughs Shu, in double happiness.

Never Mind Four

Elodie looks at the card.

Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts.

And the woman's name.

Grace Swan.

Grace Swan is already on her way back to business class.

What is she thinking?

We don't know yet.

Grace Swan, says Elodie. PICA. I wonder what her proposition will be?

As long as she helps us to get to Lake Jasper, says Gaius.

Contemporary Arts, says Elodie. That could be anything. But obviously, it involves Baby Pierre and his bicycle.

She looks at Baby Pierre, who is thinking the same thing himself.

Is his bicycle artistic?

Is he?

He dreams up various scenarios.

One: That Grace Swan wants him to star in a movie. He will be riding to Lake Jasper. On the way he will meet various spiders. They will be attracted by the hypnotic green spin of his wheels. The spinning wheels will be a kind of leitmotif for the movie

Two: That Grace Swan wants him to pose for a statue. He is doing a wheelie. No, not a wheelie,  more likely a stoppie. It will depict the exact moment at which the stoppie begins. It will win prizes.

Three: He is in a museum. He is doing a performance. He rides his bicycle through a webby curtain. Now he is covered in webs. He continues to ride his bicycle through a maze of upturned terracotta pots. He doesn't hit any. But the audience knows that inside each pot is a spider. So there is tension.

Four: Never mind four.

We can see that Baby Pierre is naturally artistic.

Meanwhile Elodie is reeling off a list of hotels they might stay in, in Perth.

Crowne Plaza, one hundred and twenty five dollars, says Elodie. A polished hotel with a rooftop pool.

Anything cheaper? asks Gaius.

Baileys, a streamlined option with an outdoor pool, one hundred and thirteen dollars.

Keep going, says Gaius.

Aloft Perth, overlooking the Swan River, rooftop terrace and outdoor pool, river views, one hundred and four dollars.

Anything under a hundred? asks Gaius.

There is actually. Bailey's Motel. A modest pick with a pool and Italian dining. Seventy three dollars.

Bingo, says Gaius. Book that.

The Proposition

The business woman scratches her ankle.

It feels like an ant is down there.

She looks at the spot she's been scratching.

And sees Baby Pierre.

Where did YOU come from? asks the business woman.

Economy, says Baby Pierre.

He executes a final wheelie, and scoots back to economy.

He stops next to Gaius's foot.

Gaius is talking.

Strange, he is saying.

This is in response to Elodie's claim that she was paid a share of the money the audience threw into the tin, at Candide's Garden.

Which was a response to Gaius offering to pay for his half of the muffin with flies.

It didn't have flies, as we know, but mud sticks.

What's strange? asks Baby Pierre, who likes to be abreast of the times.

I wasn't paid any money, says Gaius.

Perhaps they gave it to Arthur, says Elodie. Thinking you'd get it.

Yes, perhaps that's what happened, and perhaps that's why Arthur disappeared shortly after.

Pick me up, please, says Baby Pierre.

Did anyone see you? asks Elodie.

A lady, says Baby Pierre.

He means the business woman with the ankle, and here she comes now.

Looking looking.

She stops next to Gaius's foot.

She has seen Baby Pierre's tiny bicycle.

Yours? she asks Gaius.

No, says Gaius. It belongs to a colleague.

You? asks the woman.

Not me, says Elodie. Baby Pierre. Our colleague.

Where is he? asks the woman. I have a proposition.

Baby Pierre had been there all along, obscured by muffin paper.

My card, says the woman. When you get to Perth, come and see me.

Unfortunately he won't be able to, says Gaius. We're heading out to Lake Jasper on a mission.

To catch spiders! squeaks Baby Pierre.

To catch spiders, he says again, lower.

Spiders? says the woman.

To identify them, says Gaius. And then release them.

How will you get there? asks the woman.

We don't know yet, says Elodie. We might hire a vehicle.

I can help you, says the woman. Do come and see me.

Okay, says Elodie.

Gaius frowns slightly.

The woman also frowns slightly. She has just spied his notes.

If he's here to catch spiders, why are his notes entitled Deadly Frog Fungus?