The Better Maths

Greedy is fixed

How do I look? asks Greedy.

Normal, says Terence.

Same as before? asks Greedy.

Not exactly, says Terence. 

You have white spots, Greedy, says Katherine. Due to your holes, but they look quite becoming.

Becoming? says Terence. What are they becoming?

Not bigger, I hope, says Greedy.

As long as you don't over-exert yourself, says Katherine. They should stay the same.

Yes, take it easy, says Nerida. 

Is this Biloela? asks Gaius. 

They have passed rocky scree slopes, and basalt columns, and are now going through open woodlands with vine thickets, in the Shire of Banana.

Just coming up, says Nerida. Take a left into Gladstone-Monto Road.

Gaius takes a left.

Nearly there, says Nerida. Turn right into Tableland Road then it's twenty five k's to the park boundary.

Excellent! says Gaius. 

We'll be there in time for lunch, says Katherine.

We must set up camp first, says Gaius. But that shouldn't take long.

Five tents, says Katherine. It could take a while.

They're supposed to take seven minutes to pitch, says Nerida. That's a total of thirty five minutes.

I'll do mine, says Terence. Then it will only be thirty.

Twenty eight, says Greedy. Thirty five minus seven.

Yes, says Terence.

Is twenty eight, says Greedy.

You're good at maths, says Nerida.

It's the fingers, says Greedy.

Good to know, says Gaius. I might make you responsible for the frog count.

What about me? asks Terence.

You'll be busy pitching everyone's tents, says Nerida. 

That's not fair, says Terence.

He sulks for a few minutes, until he realises:

She thinks his maths is better!

White Spots And Thumb Flap

Gaius is driving.

Nerida navigates, using Gaius's notes.

South west to Calliope, says Nerida.

Where? asks Gaius.

There's bound to be a sign, says Katherine.

She is in the back seat with Terence, and Greedy. 

There it is! says Nerida. A sign to Calliope.

Gaius turns towards Calliope. 

Now we follow the Dawson Highway to Biloela, says Nerida. 

Easy, says Gaius. How are you finding my notes?

A bit hard to read, but I'm coping, says Nerida. 

Let me see, says Katherine.

Nerida hands her the notes.

Good heavens, says Katherine. Dogson Hoy, Billaloo, how did you decode it?

Got GPS on my phone, says Nerida.

I'd stick to using that if I were you, says Katherine.

Ha ha, laughs Gaius. 

He is in a good mood.

How's it going with Greedy? asks Nerida. 

I'm leaving it all up to Terence, says Katherine.

Yes, says Terence. Greedy is all up to me.

Have you got the rubber glove we got from that nurse? asks Nerida.

Yes, says Terence. Do I blow it up first?

Yes, maybe a little, says Nerida. But not fully.

Okay, says Terence.

Have you still got the bread tie? asks Nerida.

Yes, says Terence.

Then go for it, says Nerida.

Terence blows into the disposable rubber glove. It inflates just a little. He closes it with the bread tie.

Now insert it carefully into Greedy, says Nerida.

Terence tries. Push, wriggle.....fluuurb.

Greedy looks weird, says Terence. She has white spots and her thumb isn't proper.

Greedy may look weird with white spots and a thumb flap, but her mouth is now working.

Terence! says Greedy. 

I fixed you! says Terence. Guess what! We're going to Biloola.

Biloela, says Nerida. and we're not stopping.

I don't feel quite right, says Greedy. 

Let me have Greedy, says Nerida.

Terence thrusts Greedy towards her.

I see what's wrong, says Nerida. It's a right glove!

How can a right glove be a wrong glove? asks Terence.

Nerida pulls out Greedy's insert and deflates it, deftly turns it inside out, re-inflates it, and reinserts it.

Push wriggle. But no fluuurb.

Greed is fixed.

She is, we can now assume, a left glove.

Bitter Sweet Feelings

Is everyone ready? asks Gaius.

Ready, says Katherine. Are the tents in the car?

They are, says Gaius. Do you have the food and water?

Here, says Nerida. 

Then we're off to Kroombit Tops at last! says Gaius. 

Those little Tinkers will have grown up by now, says Katherine. How long do frogs live, by the way?

Anything from one day up to to thirty years, says Gaius.

One day? says Terence.

The unlucky ones, says Gaius. It is not a natural life span.

Woo, says Terence. Hear that, Freddy?

So! says Freddy.

Was that Freddy saying so? asks Nerida.

Yes, says Terence. He can say 'so' and 'connection'.

Did you teach him? asks Katherine. 

No, says Terence, he learned by himself.

We believe he understands the meaning of so and connection, says Gaius. But now, let us get going.

They go to reception, and settle the bill, then drive to the Gladstone Hospital, for Arthur.

They go up to his room.

The bed is empty.

A nurse comes in.

Arthur hasn't died, says the nurse, if that's what you're thinking.

We were not thinking Arthur had died, says Gaius. Where is he?

He left you a note, says the nurse. 

Gaius reads the note.

Drat! says Gaius. He has gone off somewhere and will catch up with us later.

Nerida looks dejected.

Never mind, dear, says Katherine. Arthur often slopes off on his own. It goes with being a poet.

Yes, says Gaius. We must cut him some slack. Nerida, you are henceforth promoted to senior assistant. 

And me, says Terence.

And you, Terence, says Gaius, will be my deputy senior assistant.

Yippee! says Terence

Connection! says Freddy.

He knows, says Terence. Good boy, Freddy.

So! says Freddy.

You must all leave now, says the nurse. We need the bed for the next patient.

Before we go, says Nerida, do you have any spare rubber gloves we could borrow?

There's a pack of disposables in the bottom drawer, says the nurse. You're welcome to take a couple.

We only need one, says Nerida. Thank you.

No worries, says the nurse. 

They leave Gladstone Hospital and pile into the 4WD Wagon.

Gaius is in a good mood. His frog survey is finally happening.

Katherine is happy. Her role as a chaperone has just become easier. 

Nerida has bitter-sweet feelings about her promotion.

Terence does not.

A Confident So

Terence knocks on the door.

Katherine opens, in floral pyjamas.

You're bright and early! says Katherine.

Where's Greedy? asks Terence. 

Come in, says Katherine. 

Terence goes in.

Are you looking for Greedy? asks Nerida.

Yes, says Terence. She might have got fixed by Gaius's brain.

That is unlikely, says Katherine.

Nerida fetches Greedy, who is in poor condition, deflated and holey.

Doesn't matter, says Terence. Now we know what to do.

What? asks Nerida.

Put a new glove inside her, says Terence. The cleaner was going to, but Gaius says cleaners don't do it.

No, they don't, says Katherine. They discard old gloves and use new ones.

But it would work for Greedy, says Nerida. 

We'll buy a pair of rubber gloves before picking up Arthur, says Katherine.

Yay! says Terence. Can I take Greedy back to my room and show her to Freddy?

Of course, says Katherine. Just don't leave her behind when we go.

Terence goes out, with poor drooping Greedy.

Terence loves Greedy, says Nerida.

And Freddy, says Katherine. Let's hope there'll be no complications.

No MORE complications, says Nerida.

....

Back in Gaius's room, Terence shows Greedy to Freddy.

Look, says Terence. Greedy's flat now, but she's getting new insides. 

So! says Freddy.

What? says Terence.

Was that Freddy speaking? asks Gaius. Did I hear Freddy say so?

Say it again, says Terence.

Did I hear Freddy say so? repeats Gaius. 

Not you, him, says Terence.

So! says Freddy with more confidence.

He learned a new word! says Terence.

I wonder what he meant by it, says Gaius. What had you just said to him?

Greedy is getting new insides, says Terence.

So! says Gaius. Obviously Freddy has made a connection.

What is it? asks Terence.

Ask him, says Gaius. I really ought to start packing.

Okay, says Terence. What's the connection?

Freddy thinks hard. The connection. What is it?

Connection, says Freddy.

He knows! says Terence. 

Greedy is listening. If only she had new insides!

She would put a bomb under slow-witted Freddy.

The Good Brain

Terence is at the window, with Freddy. 

No sign of Greedy.

I had an odd dream, says Gaius.

Was I in it? asks Terence.

Yes, says Gaius. And so was Greedy.

I forgot about Greedy! says Terence. Where is she?

In Katherine and Nerida's room, I imagine, says Gaius.

Can I go there? asks Terence.

It's too early, says Gaius. Wait a while.

Tell me about the dream, says Terence. Was Greedy talking again?

Yes, she was talking, says Gaius. 

What did she say? asks Terence.

That a cleaner found her and fixed her, says Gaius.

Yay! says Terence.

And left her in here, adds Gaius.

I'd better check, says Terence.

He puts Freddy down.

Waart! says Freddy.

What's wrong with Freddy? asks Gaius.

He wishes you dreamed about him, says Terence.

I did, earlier, says Gaius. He was swinging back and forth on a string in a forest.

Hear that, Freddy? says Terence. You were swinging back and forth in a forest.

Why? wonders Freddy. 

Can I go now? asks Terence.

Not yet, says Gaius. Wait another ten minutes.

Terence sits down.

How did the cleaner fix Greedy? asks Terence.

She put a new glove inside her, says Gaius. 

That was smart, says Terence.

But think about it, says Gaius. Why would a cleaner do that? That's how I knew it was a dream.

So who did it? asks Terence.

No one, says Gaius. My brain formed the idea.

It's a good brain! says Terence. Can I go now?

All right, says Gaius. I'll stay here with Freddy.

He opens the door for Terence.

Terence runs out.

Gaius gets back into bed for a few extra minutes. 

Freddy hopes Terence will come back with Greedy. 

Greedy, who needs a new glove inside her. If she already has one, what will she say?

And what will HE say? 

He decides it is time to improve his vocabulary. 

Night Of Broken Dreams

While Katherine dreams about green and brown frogs, Nerida dreams about Arthur.

She is with him, in his tent.

It is night time.

He is writing a poem, which must be for her..

She is stringing gold beads, making a bracelet, which must be for him

One of Katherine's green and brown frogs darts up her leg.

Get off me! shouts Katherine, thrashing about in her bed.

Nerida wakes. Lovely dream over.

In the next room, Gaius too is dreaming.

He is in a dark forest, searching for frogs.

He treads softly, in the faint torchlight. 

Something brushes across his forehead.

Is it a spider? No, spiders don't swing in that way.

Backwards and forwards, and smelling of chocolate.

He wakes with a start.

Terence is sitting by the window, whispering.

Whispering to someone.

Who can it be?

Could it be Greedy?

Yes, it's Greedy. How did she get here?

Gaius listens.

Where were you? whispers Terence.

In Katherine's room, whispers Greedy. 

How did you get here? whispers Terence.

A cleaner found me, whispers Greedy. She fixed me.

That's good, whispers Terence.

Not that good, whispers Greedy. She used me. Then she brought me in here.

How did she fix you?, whispers Terence. 

She put another pink rubber glove inside me, whispers Greedy.

Stop! A cleaner would never do that.

Cover a good glove with a ruined one.

Again Gaius wakes with a start.

Waart!

That was careless, says Gaius. But I'll fix it.

He picks up the Y bead and presses it back into Freddy.

Freddy looks different, says Terence.

Freddy tries to ask why.

But his 'why' comes out wrong.

It sounds like more like 'waart'.

Dear me, says Gaius. I've replaced the bead side on.

It looks nicer like that, says Nerida. Like one of those pointing sticks that tell you where to find water.

It is one! cries Terence. Freddy knows how to find water. Find water, Freddy.

Waart? says Freddy. 

He doesn't know how to find water, but there is a bottle of water on the table, half full (or half empty).

And Freddy is near it.

Terence turns Freddy so his Y-stick points to the water.

He's showing us! cries Terence.

You made him, says Nerida. We should do a real test.

But not now, says Katherine. I vote we go back to the hotel, get a good night's sleep, pick Arthur up in the morning, drive to Kroombit Tops, set up camp and then let Freddy prove his ability.

By finding our water, says Terence.

And not just our bottled water, says Nerida. Flowing water.

He can do it! says Terence. Except he can't move without me.

We'll suspend him, says Nerida. On a string or something.

But not in the sun, says Gaius.

I've got some nylon thread that I use for my friendship bracelets, says Nerida.

Perfect say Katherine. Shall we go now?

They leave the Rocksalt Bar, and head for their hotel.

Nerida makes Katherine a friendship bracelet, with green and brown beads, to remind her of frogs, then they sleep.

Katherine has a dream about frogs.

Understandably.