Eyes You Can't See

Is that Terence? asks Lily.

Yes, says Alexander-Red-Hook. He usually looks cleaner than that.

Lily, says Paloma, why don't you fill this seedling box with clean water. This boy needs a wash.

Okay, says Lily. Do you want to help, Terence?

Terence thinks he won't be allowed to.

But the grown ups are talking.

(This is Paloma, she's planting seedlings, pleased to meet you Paloma, have we met before? yes we passed briefly in the bakery at Goolwa, nice vegan pies they have there, really? I wouldn't know, we had plain German buns and two Danishes, I hear you're looking for emu-wrens Gaius tells me you haven't seen any, well of course they are elusive ........)

So Terence heads off to the water's edge with Lily.

Why have you got two Smarties on your head? asks Lily.

Can you see them? asks Terence.

Of course I can, says Lily. Or I wouldn't have asked you.

What do they look like? asks Terence.

Pebbles, says Lily.

Wrong, says Terence. They look like eyes.

You can't see them, says Lily.

How could I? asks Terence.

Look at your reflection in the water, says Lily.

This is a dangerous suggestion.

A parrot intervention is required.

Alexander-Red-Hook thinks quickly.

A photo would be better, says Alexander-Red-Hook. You could keep it.

Yes! says Terence. I could keep it!

Lily agrees a photo would be better.

So Terence is saved from the results of falling into the water, including the loss of the Smarties, which would have been bad.

Lily dips the seedling container into the clear water.

This is a special place, says Lily.

I know, says Terence.

I bet you don't know, says Lily.

I DO know, says Terence. It's a Pete Swamp.

But do you know why it's special? asks Lily.

Because it's named after Pete, says Terence.

Now I know you don't know, says Lily. You think Pete is a person.

What do you think Pete is? asks Terence.

Dirt with dead leaves and wood and stuff in it, says Lily.

Poor Pete, says Terence.

Would you like me to wash you? asks Lily.

No WAY! says Terence.

Okay, says Lily, you can carry the water back to the grownups and they can do it.

So Terence has to carry his own water and it's not even worth it because when he looks down all he sees is a slopping reflection of his chin.