Turning Hypothetical With Cherries

You're heartless too, says Belle. You only think of yourself.

No way! says Sweezus.

He is silent for a second, thinking.

Yeah well, the baby bird might still be alive. You even said so.

You can't have it both ways, says Belle. Either it was a sacrifice Arthur made for you, or it wasn't. I'm calling Unni. She might know what happened.

She calls Unni.

Hi Belle! says Unni. I was meaning to call you.

About that baby bird? How is it? I heard Arthur....um..... left it behind.

Yes, what a shit head. He left it in a coffee cup at the airport. But I rescued it and it's okay. I took it to Joshy, this guy I know who's a bird whisperer.

Fantastic, says Belle. So the story has a happy ending.

It's not over, says Unni. Josh has this macaw called Mango. He's taught her free flying.

Oh, lovely, says Belle, and has she adopted the baby?

Er no, says Unni. She's actually flying the baby over to Adelaide, to return him to Arthur.

Arthur! What for! asks Belle.

Well we found out that the baby thinks Arthur is his mother, says Unni. It's called imprinting. They fix on the first thing they see.

Ha ha, that's HILARIOUS! says Belle. When are they arriving?

It should take at least eight days, says Unni. Macaws fly at about 50 kilometres per hour.

She's actually flying! says Belle That is amazing! How's she carrying the baby?

In a leather contraption, says Unni. He'll be quite safe. We've given Mango the address of the Velosophy office. So if you guys could look out for them.....

Sure, says Belle. Thanks for the heads up. See you, Unni! Bye!

Guess what? says Belle.

I heard, says Sweezus.

You didn't hear the funniest bit, says Belle. The baby thinks Arthur's his mother.

That's not funny, says Sweezus. When are they coming?

Eight days, says Belle.

Sweezus thinks: Cool. Eight days to come up with a reason for us not to be here.

.........

Flap...flap...flap.

We're making good time, says Mango. That's because of not stopping. Look down, baby B-B.

Baby B-B looks down.

That's Harden. Used to be a big railway town.

Way-way, says baby B-B.

Town, says Mango. Way way town.

Way way town, says baby B-B.

 Remarkable! Town is not easy to say (it has three consonants)

I know I said I wasn't stopping, says Mango. But you deserve a reward.

Not marshmallow again, hopes baby B-B.

Not marshmallow, says Mango. Cherries. They grow cherries down there.

She lands in a cherry orchard in Harden.

Now Mango and baby B-B are munching on cherries. Red juice runs down the golden breast feathers of Mango.

Look at me, says Mango, I've turned into a hypothetical.

Wat-sat? asks baby B-B ( another first, a double syllable question!)

I knew you'd ask, says Mango. We macaws lay claim to a number of hypothetical extinct species that naturalists think must have existed. One is the Violet Macaw. That's who I look like. It'll wash off though. If I was a real one, it wouldn't.

Baby B-B wonders if he looks like a Violet baby. (He doesn't).

Shall we get moving? says Mango. Hop in to your leather contraption.

Baby B-B hops in.

We'll be there in five days at this rate, says Mango.

FIVE days? But Belle told Sweezus EIGHT.

Let's hope there is a reason for this discrepancy.