Like Brothers

Sweezus has cycled away.

Saint Roley remains by the seat near the Emu Bay playground.

Thinking of brothers.

Sweezus and sharks are like brothers. Why does Sweezus think that? Because he once had a business arrangement with the Great White Teacher, marketing sea salt? Of course it fell through.

Is that what he thinks is like brothers?

Saint Roley flies off, in a random direction.

The wind changes. 

He alters his course.

.....

Captain Baudin has been napping.

A wave breaks over his bow.

Woosh! Captain Baudin wakes up quickly.

Ach! Which way is he sailing? Where is his compass?

The shadow of a bird darkens his deck for a moment.

He looks up.

He signals.

Saint Roley flies down and lands on a railing. 

Problem? asks Saint Roley.

Minor problem, says Captain Baudin. I seem to have mislaid my compass.

Where are you headed? asks Saint Roley.

The lighthouse, says Captain Baudin.

Then you're going the right way, says Saint Roley. I'm going that way as well. I'll be your compass.

Very well, says Captain Baudin. Do you know any old sea songs?

No one's asked me that lately, says Saint Roley. I do know one or two. 

He sings: Encore un coup laoura, kaliman ah, ah ah ah ah kaliman, encore un coup laoura.

C'est beau! says Captain Baudin.

They sing it together.

Like brothers.

......

Sweezus is not far from Stokes Bay.

He hopes Arthur will have hired him a surfboard.

He imagines himself chucking the bike and racing straight for the water.

With the surfboard.

After removing the beanie, and other parts of the window cleaner's outfit.

The hi viz vest, the Bunnings trousers.

He can't remember what he's got on underneath.

Dark Shadows

Captain Baudin has sailed too far west.

He is singing tra lalala lalala etc, and does not realise.

Then he does.

Merde! says Captain Baudin, I am too far out in the deep ocean. I must turn south eastwards. 

A south wind is blowing.

He raises his sail.

......

Arthur and Louisa have hired surfboards and are paddling out to the reef break.

Winter's the best time here, says Louisa. But in winter it's freezing. Today's perfect.

Left or right break, says Arthur.

Left, says Louisa. There's a west swell combined with an offshore wind from the south.

They both paddle faster.

Watch out for rocks, says Louisa.

And sharks, says Arthur. I've surfed here before.

With Sweezus? asks Louisa.

Yes, says Arthur.

He stops paddling.

A dark shadow slides past his legs.

......

Sweezus has disembarked from the ferry.

He is cycling towards Stokes Bay.

At Emu Bay he stops for a break.

He gets off his bike and wheels it to a seat near the playground.

He takes a Power Bar from his back pack, and takes off the wrapper.

A bird alights near him.

He is about to shoo it away when he sees it's Saint Roley.

Hello, says Saint Roley. I didn't recognise you.

Nor me you, says Sweezus. 

Good disguise, says Saint Roley. Why do you need it?

I'm not meant to be here, says Sweezus.

No humans are, says Saint Roley.

Woa! Radical, says Sweezus.

Don't mind me, says Saint Roley. I'm bitter. Someone ran over the nest I built with my beloved and crushed our one egg.

That's fucked, says Sweezus.

True, says Saint Roley. I had hoped that egg would replace my lost brother.

Look at it this way, says Sweezus. It wouldn't have. Want a bite of my Power Bar?

Only if it's flavoured with mollusc, says Saint Roley.

It's not flavoured with anything, says Sweezus.

Then no thanks, says Saint Roley. Where are you headed?

Stokes Bay, says Sweezus. Arthur's there surfing.

There are sharks about, says Saint Roley.

No worries. Sharks and me are like brothers, says Sweezus.

Saint Roley doubts that.

Sailing Optimistic

Captain Baudin has decided to take the short cut to the lighthouse.

He will travel by sea.

It's a dangerous journey.

He heads for the rocks. Will his boat still be there?

It's not his old boat which was too large for a lobster.

It's a small boat, made of flotsam.

He has named it the Minérau, in honour of the old sailors' song.

Yes there it is, tied up to a half buried spar.

He boards the Minérau, feeling optimistic.

As-tu connu le Minérau? Hourra mes boueés hourra!

He unties it. Stows his journal under a thong.

The waves crash onto the rocks which surround him.

He floats out between them, the wind blows him west.

C'est un joli petit bateau, tra lalala lalala la la ....

......

Gaius decides not to cross out the two Gang-gang cockatoos and the Rainbow Bee-eater.

Next time you spot anything, says Gaius, tell me.

Okay, says Baby-Glossy.

He flies up again, in a zigzag pattern.

Gaius returns his notebook (and Ronnie) to Terence, and re-mounts his bicycle.

Don't point me downwards, says Ronnie.

What then? asks Terence.

Upwards, says Ronnie.

You'll poke my eye out, says Terence.

I won't, says Ronnie. It's made of cement.

Or make a mark on my eyeball, says Terence.

I promise I won't, says Ronnie. I'm into self-preservation.

What does that mean? asks Terence.

I don't want to get shorter and shorter and end up buried, says Ronnie.

I won't let that happen, says Terence. Shall I wrap you in socks?

No need to go that far, says Ronnie. 

......

Sweezus is on the ferry, on his way to KI.

Piped music is playing from somewhere. 

"Sailing".

He liked that song once but jeez.....

He pulls his beanie down over his ears.

And looks through the salt-crusted windows.

Crossing Birds Out

 Gaius writes down the names of the birds Baby-Glossy has spotted.

Two Gang-gang Cockatoos and a Rainbow Bee-eater.

Where were they, as a matter of interest? asks Gaius.

Back there, says Baby-Glossy, zigzagging in order to point in a backward direction.

Funny I didn't see them, says Gaius.

And I didn't, says Terence. I bet you didn't either.

I did, says Baby-Glossy.

How did you know what they were? asks Gaius.

I asked them, says Baby-Glossy.

You didn't stop, says Terence.

Birds talk fast, says Baby-Glossy.

YOU don't, says Terence.

And Captain Baudin had un bird book, says Baby-Glossy.

A bird book and a pencil book, says Gaius. I wish I had seen his collection.

It was un book, not deux books, says Baby-Glossy.

Unusual, says Gaius. Why combine the two subjects? Was it a journal?

What's a journal? asks Baby-Glossy.

We're on one, says Terence. It means going.

It doesn't. A journal is a book of daily observations, says Gaius.

Wee, says Baby-Glossy. It was about what Captain Baudin did every day. First thing in the morning...

A wee, says Terence. 

Not everything was recorded, says Baby-Glossy. 

So why did you say wee? asks Terence.

Perhaps he meant yes, says Gaius. 

I did, says Baby-Glossy.

A trap for French speakers, says Gaius. Something to remember.

Noted, says Baby-Glossy. Captain-Baudin recorded trois subjects, in his journal. Birds, songs and things he had sharpened.

Including pencils, says Gaius. 

He only had one pencil, says Baby-Glossy. It got shorter and shorter. When it was only one centimetre long he could no longer hold it.

What did he do with it? asks Gaius.

Yes what? asks Ronnie the pencil, hoping for a happy ending.

He stopped using it, says Baby-Glossy.

But did he keep it? asks Ronnie.

He buried it, says Baby-Glossy. 

What else did he sharpen? asks Terence.

His sword, says Baby-Glossy. And his pocket knife.

He has a pocket? asks Gaius.

He has un in his sailor trousers, says Baby-Glossy. 

Gaius suspects that Baby-Glossy has learnt more than English, French nombres, sharpening skills and old sea songs from Captain Baudin.

All those glib answers.

Gaius looks again at his notes.

He considers crossing the Gang-gangs and Bee-eater out.

Three Raisins

Captain Baudin scrapes his way to the mouth of the cave.

His visitors are slowly receding.

Gaius is wobbling away on his bicycle, as there is no road.

Terence's head is poking out of Gaius's back pack.

Baby-Glossy flies overhead, in a zigzag pattern.

Captain Baudin wonders if there is a reason.

But it's no longer his business.

His mind turns to Captain du Couedic.

Has he evil designs on the Ears? 

When someone lives in a lighthouse, what might not they get up to?

But sea captains stick together.

He should warn Captain du Couedic of what's coming.

(Arthur, at night with a ladder).

(It's like Cluedo).

He readies himself for the journey. It doesn't take long.

Baby Glossy zigzags above Gaius.

All right up there? asks Gaius. I gather you're not used to flying.

I'm not, says Baby-Glossy. 

Why are you zigzagging? asks Terence.

Trois raisons, says Baby Glossy.

Three raisins, says Terence. That's a good answer.

Raisons, says Baby Glossy. And they are, un: I don't wish to get ahead of you, deux: I don't wish to get behind, trois: I wish to start counting nombres as soon as possible, and the zigzag is giving me a wider perspective.

Woop, says Terence. 

It's not woop, says Gaius. It's well reasoned. Have you seen any other birds yet, Baby-Glossy?

Deux Gang Gang Cockadeux, says Baby-Glossy. And un Rainbow Bee-Eater.

Gaius stops. 

Terence, hand me my notebook. It will be somewhere under your feet. And a pencil.

Terence yanks out a notebook, and Ronnie!

I'm broken, says Ronnie.

Boo-hoo, says Terence. Do you think it's my fault?

No, says Ronnie. Just saying. 

Drat! Broken! says Gaius.

I can sharpen a pencil, says Baby-Glossy. I learned it from Captain Baudin.

He has a collection of pencils? asks Gaius.

No, says Baby Glossy, he has un book on the subject. Give me the pencil.

Terence hands Ronnie to Baby-Glossy, who sharpens him to a point the like of which has rarely been seen on Kangaroo Island.

Cockadeux

Did you go to the lighthouse? asks Captain Baudin.

We did, says Gaius. We met Captain du Couedic.

He kept my Ears, says Terence. 

Only un was your Ear, says Baby Glossy. Un was mine.

It wasn't an onion, says Terence. It was an orange.

It wasn't an orange, says Baby-Glossy. It was a peel. And I didn't say onion.

You started to, says Terence.

Un, says Baby-Glossy. It's a nombre.

Terence tries to think what that nombre could be.

One! says Terence. 

I knew you would understand me, says Baby-Glossy. 

That's wonderful, says Gaius. Well, we must be going. We have birds to count, and record in my notebook.

Before you go, says Captain Baudin, May I ask you un question?

Go ahead, says Gaius.

Did the Ears stay with du Coeudic of their own volition? asks Captain Baudin.

We believe so, says Gaius. I had my doubts, so I sent Arthur back to investigate. All appeared well, but he intends to go back under cover of night with a ladder, just to be certain.

Very wise, says Captain Baudin. Well au revoir, mes amis. I must return to my lonely life style.

Bye bye, my Captain, says Baby-Glossy. 

I hope you count many birds, says Captain Baudin.

I will return un day, to tell you the nombres, says Baby-Glossy.

You can't, unless I say so, says Terence. You're going to be my new parrot

Cockadoo! says Baby-Glossy.

Cockadeux, says Captain Baudin.

Ha ha! laughs Gaius. Cockadeux! Very good, you two.

Gaius loads Terence into his back pack and gets on his bicycle.

Baby-Glossy realises he is expected to fly.

Falling In Is Not Important

 Bomb! repeats Baby-Glossy.

Why have you taught him to say bomb? asks Gaius. 

He is not saying bomb, says Captain Baudin. He is trying to say bon, but he is not good at it.

Bon is not English, says Gaius.

But bomb is, says Terence. 

He pats Baby-Glossy.

When you think something's good, says Terence, say bomb, and I'll understand you.

Bomb, says Baby-Glossy. Ti ti la reeti!

Riti, says Captain Baudin.

A French sailors' song, if I'm not mistaken, says Gaius.

It is, says Captain Baudin. I have taught him to sing one which is inoffensive.

Very good, says Gaius.

Very bomb, says Terence. 

What is it about? asks Gaius.

A young woman falls into a river, says Captain Baudin. 

Why? asks Terence.

Because she is picking cress for her father, and she reaches over too far, and falls in, says Captain Baudin. But that is not important.

What is important? asks Terence.

Let Baby-Glossy tell you, says Captain Baudin.

Can he do it in English? asks Gaius.

Let him try, says Captain Baudin.

She is rescued by trois sailors, says Baby-Glossy. That is important.

Well done, Baby-Glossy, says Gaius. Except for the trois.

What's twa? asks Terence.

Un deux trois, says Baby Glossy.

He counts in French, says Captain Baudin, and sings in French, but everything else is in English.

Not good, says Gaius.

But surely not bad, says Captain Baudin.

I didn't mean that, says Gaius. What about bomb? That was French, albeit a mispronunciation.

There are exceptions, says Captain Baudin. But let him sing you the end of the song, which is sweet.

Baby-Glossy sings the end of the song in French.

It's a song to the glory of all those people of the sea, who smell of tar.

It brings a tear to the eye of Captain Baudin.

Neither Gaius nor Terence understands it, but Baby-Glossy expects a reaction.

Bomb, says Terence.

Trés bomb, says Gaius.