milliways_bar | (no subject)

Outside on the grass, four children are playing a game.

There are three small sports cones, in a straight line, a plastic cricket bat and a soft ball.

"Wait, how do we play again?" Coral asks, as Brooke takes the bat and waves it around wildly.

"Stand at the first cone." Fry says. "The bowler throws the ball. If you hit the ball you can run to the first cone and back to get one point, or to the second cone and back to get two points, or you can stand still and score nothing. If anyone catches the ball when you hit it you're out. If the fielders get the ball back to the bowler before you get back from running you're out. If you hit the ball and it goes behind you you're out. If you miss the ball it's a 'wonky' and you get one more chance but you have to stand on one leg, but if you hit it you can then run for double points. If you miss it again it's a 'double wonky' and you have to take it standing on one leg with one eye closed but if you hit it you can then run for quadruple points. If you miss it a third time you're out. Each player gets ten lives and the team with most points wins."

"Hang on, we can't play in teams, they won't be even." Coral protests.

"Me and you against Brooke and Gil." Fry says. "Because Brooke is the best hitter and Gil is..."

"I'M A UNICORN!" Gil declares, putting one of the cones on his head.

"What were the rules again?" Brooke asks. "I wasn't listening."

"Tough." Fry says. "Gil, take the cone off your head, it's time to start."

"Uh oh." Gil says, tugging at the cone.

"What?" Coral asks.

"Don't be silly, Gil." Fry goes over to try and tug the cone off Gil's head, but it doesn't budge.

"Uh oh."

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Clay can feel the need to change. So he came outside and see's the children.

He walks over to help the child smiling at their antics.

Fry is trying to break the vacuum around Gil's head with his finger, but it isn't working. The nearly-four-year-old starts to cry.

"Please make it come off!" he wails at the nice passing stranger.

"Here let me" and Clay walks closer waiting for the children to agree.

"Will you have to chop his head off?" Brooke asks.

Gil starts to cry harder.

"She's teasing." Fry says. "What was your name again?" He asks Clay.

Clay shakes his head, "No"

"I am Clay"

Turning to the crying child, "It's going to be alright." he says in earnestly and kindly.

"Should we lubricate his head?" Coral asks.

"What with?" Fry asks.

"Hm... bacon?" Coral suggests.

"Mm, bacon." Brooke waves the cricket bat. "Why don't we just hit the cone off with this bat?"

"NO." Fry and Coral tell her in unison, before looking at the Appropriate Adult for guidance.

Clay is standing right by Gil and wont let anyone hit him in the head, "No hitting your brother in the head."

He examines the cone, "Let me see" he bends down and gently investigates the cone to figure out if a lubricant can fit in between the head and the cone. Or if brute force, or just gentle coaxing.

Brooke pouts and goes to hit the other cones instead.

It looks like there might be enough room to slip some grease in at the side of Gil's head.

"Grease will do the trick" he looks at Gil, "We should take you back to the bar and get some grease."

Fry comes with Gil, leaving Coral to 'supervise' Brooke.

Clay guides them back into the bar and orders some grease.

"What are you kids playing?" he tries to distract the kid while he works.

"Wonky Wicket. I invented it." Fry says.

"How does it work?" he asks patiently making progress on Gil's stuck head.

Fry explains the rules again.

"You see, it's quite clever, because you can get more points by gambling on getting a hit on your third ball, but if you miss you then don't get any more points that go."

"Clever. And you it is something you and your siblings can play together."

He keeps working on the cone, making progress. It almost budges.

"Yes. Brooke usually wins, though." Fry says. "She plays ice hockey so she's better at hitting things."

"She does seem to have a strong swing." he was watching.

He slips the cone off of Gil's head.

"YAY! Thank you!" Gil gives him a hug.

"Now we can resume our game." Fry says. "Thank you sir."

He nods with a smile as he cleans his hand.

Once clean he heads back outside.