No, he wasn’t, Fortuné told him. But with the paintings, lamps and the odd spot-lit chair, it did - feel like - Jo was out of sync.

Then again, the beat was almost in time to his footsteps. Or he was having to stop himself from going into an in-flow-stride in sync to the rhythm. That and keep an eye on the egg-surfaced chairs and contoured tables for Jester Truly.

Carrimoth? Who was he when he wasn’t putting birds, flowers and bee decor together? Was he local? A fundraiser? Something to do with the multi-house studios that dominated the street beyond the curve of the clinic?

Anyway, back to the music. He wasn’t the only one in the midst of trying a bit of self-restraint to the current track. Each table had at least one person with arms spread, eyes closed, and either a foot or head tapping to the beat. But could just as easily be upright with hand-and-hip movements that matched every note. A man in an obsidian blue suit on the left was a head-bobbing example of the former. Whist another, pale trousers concealed up to the knees by dark boots, carried off latter; complete with a bandana that could have given the noon sun a run for its money.

“What in all the Patchwork,” Jo exhaled.

“Heard that,” said Jay without breaking step between pebble-shaped table and light-pulsing screen.

“You said that you didn’t like this last week. Can’t consult, let alone dance, to this stuff.”

“Now, now,” Jay continued, moving from side-to-side and wagging a finger. In a manner a little too reminiscent of Suzé in the middle of the Carrisanté before a multi-step duel. “This is different.”

“You’re different,” said Jo, placing the tray on the table. Violet. Not only the boots, red knee-guards and trousers but a shirt as dark plum the trousers were snow light.

“Not so run-of-the-mill yourself, Little-Glass Blue,” said Jay, looking Jo up and down. “All new?”

“Only worn it once,” said Jo, taking off his sil-and-blue edged, deep indigo coat. “But you must have got — all — of that since last week, too.”

“I may have acquired one or two additions,” said Jay, flowing onto the curved wall-side couch. “Suzé did say that we had to look our best.”

“To where all you need is a plumed hat; upright collared jacket and an overcoat? You could be a general of division.”

“Might as well throw in a jewelled sabre and marshal’s baton,” Jay yawned. “Never been one to shy from the Distinctive.”

“Or pranks,” Jo added, alighting in an all-curves chair. “Had some spare time on your hands?”

“You know me,” said Jay, grinning whilst weaving from side-to-side and taking up the large orange glass with the magenta bits. “Did you like it?”

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“Like it,” Jo coughed as he stopped himself from surging back up. “They almost barred me.”

“But the password was easy. You call every colour that’s more or less bright the paintwork from a playhouse.”

“Not when the black and pink restaurant up the road was one of my answers.”

The orange glass returned to the table as Jay put the other hand towards his mouth. “You didn’t…”

“Weren’t you there giggling?”

“Got chatting with - or was it questioned by - Triné and Marius.”

“Why doesn’t that surprise,” said Jo, sinking back. “Light the match and watch the field burn.”

“I wouldn’t have if I had known that you would mention Technality,” said Jay. “Glorifhun loathes it and Fortuné had to be pulled away from the last staff member still standing.”

“Why, what happened to the others?” asked Jo, then saw the slow nod of Jay’s head. “No…” he said, moving back, “she could have-”

“That’s me warned,” said Jay, pushing the glass away. “Run the idea back through the outcomes next time.”

“What were you thinking,” said Jo. “Being barred would have been the least of my - How many have you downed today?”

“Gently consumed more like,” Jay replied, moving the empty glasses to one side. “Needed something to go with the salmon, blaze and crumb-coat mushrooms, and sparkle water doesn’t cut it.”

“Not when you get started it doesn’t,” said Jo, taking a sip of the navy smoothie.

“The two that you see here are the only ones I’ve had. You’d know that if you and Suzé had taken up my invitation.”

“You knew I was going up to the House,” said Jo as a man also in floral, but trousers rather than a waistcoat collected the empty tray and glasses. “Although in the light of good old hindsight, I needn’t have bothered.”

“Oh…Did they give you what for over…”

“Had Part One already. Was expecting Part Two, but no one was home.”

“Late back from shopping?”

“If only,” Jo grated. “Had mixed up the days and were at a reunion in Twilight Scarps.”

“Uh-oh…”

“That’s what I wanted to say,” said Jo. “All that way to Hill Park for nothing. Well, there was the cake, glass, chicken roll and chat with the neighbours, so that had to count for something.”

“Not in that order, I hope,” said Jay, looking at Jo as if his hair could change colour to the beat.

“Says the one who had mint-and-saffron centres before a meal and a box of pepper fries after,” said a fresh voice. Turning, Jo saw the approaching form of Suzé; although he had to look twice to make sure that it wasn’t someone else.

“You said that you weren’t coming,” said Jay.

“Which is correct,” Suzé replied, placing her teal jacket on the back of one of the cornerless chairs. “But plans change.”

“Like the aqua,” said Jo, looking at Suzé’s dress as a glass of smoking violet with flutters of lemon landed on the table. “Is it new?”

“The best that I could come up with on short notice,” Suzé said, alighting on a chair. “Should be at a get-together at Brantismet.”

“Brantismet? But that’s-”

“Too far to arrive for the start after this is over,” Suzé almost growled. “Had to tell them to go on ahead.”

“But why did they ask you to come,” said Jo. “I know I didn’t make a request.”

“Oh, that’s right,” said Jay, getting up. “If you haven’t done it, then it has to be me because I’ve had a couple of Magenta-Saffrons.”

“Do you think I’d be here if both of you had even pleaded,” Suzé said, looking at Jay’s top-and-trouser contrast. “And what’s this about a password?”

“James, Fortuné and Glorifhun set one up on the door as a laugh,” said Jo before Jay could open his mouth. “A word that would come out as I gave an opinion on the new door. Only, at a few points, James was the only one laughing and I could have been thrown out.”

“You didn’t - say - that it was - chartreuse,” Suzé began.

“That’s it,” said Jo, “That’s the colour. I couldn’t think of it before.”

“Don’t say it now.”