Saturday, April 6, 2024

Potato Child

Gaius returns to the hotel with five tents in the back of the 4WD Wagon.

Where's Freddy? asks Terence.

Here, says Gaius, taking Freddy out of his pocket. You will notice a change in his upper regions.

Where are his upper regions? asks Terence.

His head, says Nerida. What happened?

I was advised by someone in the camping shop that the bead could pose a hazard, says Gaius.

What kind of hazard? asks Nerida.

A child could eat it and choke, says Gaius. 

Who? asks Terence.

No one in particular, says Gaius. A putative child. 

Ha ha! A potato child! says Terence.

Don't you have something to tell Freddy, says Katherine.

Yes, says Terence. Come here, Freddy.

Freddy can't move on his own, so Terence comes closer.

Remember what the doctor said? asks Terence.

Why? asks Freddy.

Because if you don't remember I'll have to tell you, says Terence.

Just tell him, says Nerida.

You'll get a headache, says Terence. 

Why? asks Freddy.

Because the doctor said, says Terence. But guess what?

Freddy can't guess.

The letter Y was inside your head, says Terence. And a potato child might eat it. 

Why? aks Freddy. 

And die, says Terence.

Freddy can't argue with that.

And, says Terence, that's why Gaius opened your head up. He loves potatoes.

Freddy thought he knew why Gaius opened his head up.

Not because he loves potatoes.

Or was it?

Dinner time, says Katherine. I vote we go to the Rocksalt Bar. It's near here.

Excellent, says Gaius. I'm feeling quite peckish.

Can Freddy come? asks Terence.

No one is listening, so no one says no.

Freddy is coming. 

He resolves to watch out for unsupervised potatoes.


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