‘Dahlia’s announcing it now,’ Leo said.
‘We have the activity to end all activities here on the ship today. If you are not on a table of four then please get up and move. This is a team game, and each team needs four players.’
I smiled around the table. ‘Sorted.’
‘I hope it’s not a triathlon,’ Leo said. ‘I haven’t got the energy.’
Zach shook his head. ‘Nah. Not enough activities.’
‘A quadathlon then.’
‘Any ideas for a team name?’ Brooke asked.
‘How about the group chat?’ Zach said. ‘Life’s a Pitch.’
We all laughed.
‘Brilliant!’ Brooke said, delighted.
‘The keen-eyed among you will have noticed I’m dressed as a chicken,’ Dahlia shouted.
Squawks and pock-pocks emanated from the crowd as she continued. ‘Which is a big clue to today’s challenge… “Crown the Portuguese Cockerel”.’
‘Crown on the cock!’ someone heckled.
‘Thank you – I prefer my title. I thought of it myself. One of you will be the team cockerel and will stay where you are for the entirety of the challenge. The rest of you will have one hour to dress your teammate up as theGalo de Barcelos– which is the official name.’
‘Not a chicken then?’ someone else shouted.
‘No. There is a photo of what we’re looking for on each of your tables, but to make sure everyone is super clear, we have a full-size version being modelled for you by none other than… the fabulous Barbie Queue!!!’
Barb strutted on stage wearing a voluptuous black dress, a feathery cape and platform boots. She had a beautiful yellow beak made from cardboard, white tissue paper to mark out the wings, a rubber glove red crest and shiny blue tights.
‘Alright, cockers?’ she shouted, stalking up and down like America’s next top model and pouting at the audience. There were wolf whistles galore as she flapped her wings and pretended to lay an egg. She pulled a paper bag frombetween her legs and started throwing Cadbury’s Cream Eggs into the crowd, shouting: ‘It’s a miracle!’
‘The winning team will get a voucher for a future cruise of their choice,’ Dahlia shouted.
‘Subject to availability; terms and conditions apply,’ Barbie Queue quickly added.
There were excited oohs and aahs from the crowd and the noise level went up as teams started discussing tactics.
‘I’ll be the cock,’ Brooke announced. ‘You guys work as a team and let’s see what we can do.’
‘Is it bad form for head office to win the holiday?’ Leo asked.
‘Definitely,’ I said.
‘Why? We’re here as guests!’ Zach said. ‘All’s fair in cocks and cruises.’
‘No, good point… it’ll look like a fix. Let’s gun for second place just in case,’ Brooke said. ‘We can have a free cruise whenever we like, after all – within reason.’
‘Everyone ready?’ Dahlia shouted. ‘Starting in THREE… TWO… ONE… GO!!!’
She sounded a Klaxon, and everyone started running except us.
‘Shall we write down the colours we need then split out and gather?’ I said, pulling out a notebook.
‘Blue legs, black body, yellow beak, white and yellow patterns on the wings…’ Zach reeled off the list. ‘Red crown.’
