Mia One Mia Too

Charles de Gaulle airport.

Emirates flight E72 to Dubai has boarded.

Now Terence, says Belle, this will be a long flight. Seven hours forty minutes. Can you sit quietly?

Yes, says Terence. Do you want to know why?

Why? asks Belle.

Because I've got NO ONE TO TALK TO, says Terence. No Baldy.

You're not the only one, says Saint Roley. I've got no brother.

Toy? asks the flight attendant, stopping by with a toy box.

Thank you, says Belle. Look, Terence. Look, Saint Roley. An alligator, a bear, an elephant or a manta ray?

The manta ray is called Mia, says the flight attendant, picking one up.

She hopes Terence will choose a Mia. She has an excess of Mias.

Mia, says Terence.

Mia too, says Saint Roley.

We don't normally give toys to birds, says the flight attendant. But today, you are lucky.

Terence and Baldy both receive fluffy blue manta rays.

Have you looked at the lunch menu? asks the flight attendant. You might want to put in your order.

 Sweezus and Arthur are already looking. They've missed breakfast.

They order braised beef with rosemary.

Gaius has fallen asleep. Blame the fish glue.

I'll order for Gaius, says Belle. We'll both have the chicken.

The flight attendant writes it all down.

I'll bring the the children an activity pack and a snack box, she says as she swishes away with the toy box to find the next child.

Terence examines his Mia. She has a back pocket. If you stick your hand in, there's a folded up blanket inside.

He pulls out the blanket. Now his Mia looks thin.

I've got my own parrot passport, says Saint Roley, to his Mia.

Saint Roley's Mia has travelled widely (back and forth in the toy box) and knows that he isn't a parrot.

But you meet all sorts on the way to Dubai.

.....

Lunch time. The lunches are edging their way slowly up the plane.

Sweezus and Arthur get their lunches first.

An appetiser of Moroccan chickpea salad with feta, followed by slow braised beef and mashed potatoes, with a triple chocolate delice for dessert.

Belle gets her chicken in yogurt sauce with broccoli and red peppers. Terence and Saint Roley have snack boxes, pencils and puzzles. But they don't eat the snacks.

Gaius sleeps on, dreaming of tiny pieces of china.

Belle doesn't like to wake him.

The staff are trained not to wake anyone who is sleeping.

So Gaius misses out on his lunch.