Mindspaces Read Free Page A

this was the moment, Art had been waiting for.
    â€˜I found out about your cast,’ said Art. ‘The chemist told me. About $130 if you count the doctor’s fee.’
    â€˜Too much,’ interrupted Mario.
    â€˜But the actual plaster only costs fifteen,’ said Art quickly
    â€˜Fifteen from fifty leaves thirty five. We could borrow all the other props,’ said India.
    â€˜If the cast is part of your body, it shouldn’t count,’ argued Art.
    â€˜I agree,’ said Mrs. Tasker. ‘You’re allowed to use parts of your body. India’s cast is part of her body at the moment. So that doesn’t count in the budget.’
    â€˜What about crutches?’ Mario was suspicious.
    â€˜Allowable,’ ruled Mrs. Tasker. “Like watches or glasses or an artificial eye.’
    â€˜Heart transplant?’ Mario wasn’t giving up easily.
    Mrs. Tasker nodded.
    â€˜Okay. Let’s start.’ India was relieved.
    Mrs. Tasker looked closely at Mario’s handwriting on India’s cast. ‘Perhaps you should change this, Mario. I taught in Italy for a year. My husband used to work there. I can read Italian.’
    Mario blushed.
    You don’t need me then?’ Art said quickly. ‘Not if India’s in the team?’
    â€˜Yes we do.’ India was firm. ‘Jo’s gone. That leaves six with me. And we need your ideas.’
    â€˜Be an understudy. In case someone breaks their neck,’ Rae suggested.
    Art hadn’t asked the chemist the cost of neck braces.
    India said:’ Read the problem…er…I’ll tell you. About the missing emerald and diamond ring.
    One ring to rule them all,
    One ring to find them,
    One ring to bring them all,
    And in the darkness bind them.
    We have to act out something that will explain all these.’
    â€˜How do emeralds and diamonds ring?’’ Art was puzzled.
    â€˜I mean the sort of ring you wear.’
    â€˜Do they mean that? ‘ asked Art. ‘The TOM judges?’
    â€˜Oh, forget it!’ said Mario.
    â€˜No.’ Mrs. Tasker put her hand on Art’s shoulder. ‘Try out any ideas you like. That’s what Tournament is about: Thinking sideways. Using mindspace.’
    Art remembered what his mum had said to him. ‘A ring! The mobile is a different kind of ring.’
    â€˜ You’re right,’ admitted India. ‘Perhaps we can do something with a phone ring?’
    Art remembered the bird in the art room. ’What about a ring on a bird’s leg? To carry messages? ‘Suddenly Art was enjoying himself .As long as he didn’t have to read, he liked playing with ideas.
    â€˜Ace idea, Art.’ India read from the booklet. ‘We need a truck driver, a ghost, a detective and a character of the ring. They have to act in the performance.’
    â€˜A ringmaster,’ suggested Art who was picturing shows and circuses.’ A ringmaster looks after the animals in the circus ring. ‘
    â€˜A girl ringmaster,’ suggested India quickly. ‘Who stands in the middle, without moving her leg.’
    Later, the two teams went out for a pizza, Mrs. Tasker’s shout.
    â€˜Thanks Mrs. T.’
    â€˜Coach,’ she corrected.
    â€˜By the way Mars Bar,’ India pointed to the writing on her cast. ‘I looked this up in the Italian-English dictionary online.’
    Art looked at Mario whose face was like tomato-sauce.
    â€˜I fixed up the spelling,’ smiled India. ‘You did mean to say “get well” didn’t you?’
    Mario just mumbled something.
    Art thought he just might hang around. The pizza was okay. Thick with gooey cheese. It smelt spicy, and Art ate five slices. Another good thing was that Mrs.Tasker let him stop the night at her place. It was an emergency. His dad was away driving interstate and his mum was on night shift. Mrs. Next-Door had to go to hospital. Staying at Mrs. Taker’s gave him another