Dry Up Or I'll Wet You

Terence jumps out of the taxi.

He will burst in through the front door.

He will show his new hat to Sweezus and Arthur.

But he can't do it. The front door is locked.

He must wait for Pedro Vicente Maldonado to get out of the taxi.

Unload the children, and their baggage. And his baggage.

And Terence's baggage, which is Cherry the electronic parrot.

Pedro unlocks the front door.

Terence bursts in.

No one is there.

Noises come from the frog room.

The frogs! cries Mariposa, running to the frog room.

Followed by Pescado, her brother.

And Terence, in his un-noticed hat.

Leaving Cherry with Pedro.

Twice times seven, says Pedro.

Forty nine, says Cherry.

That would be correct if I had asked a different question, says Pedro. Think. What might that be?

Please say forty nine? says Cherry.

Try again, says Pedro. No, don't bother. Mariposa is calling.

Dad!

He strides into the frog room.

Saint Roley is explaining what happened to most of the tadpoles, and the mutant frogs, one of which, Flap, is in the garden with Piffy and Pi-face.

Dad, says Mariposa. Our frogs are in the garden!

Pedro opens the window.

And there's waxworms on the table, says Pescado.

I can explain, says Saint Roley. We were hoping....

Pedro gathers the waxworms and throws them out into the garden.

That's happened twice now. The waxworms' hopes dwindle.

What were you hoping? asks Pedro. That someone would open a window? Done!

Dad! says Mariposa. We should have brought the frogs INSIDE.

We were hoping you would know how long moths last, says Saint Roley. But now it won't matter.

Of course it matters , says Pedro Vicente Maldonado. How long do moths last? Twelve days if they're female, and twenty one if they're male.

It's good you threw the waxworms out of the window so they didn't hear that, says Saint Roley.

Thirty two, says Cherry.

Where's Sweezus? asks Terence, tweaking his hat.

Was I right? asks Cherry.

What was the question? asks Pedro.

Twelve days plus twenty one days, says Cherry. Thirty two days.

Close, says Pedro. Thirty three. But none of them live that long. It's an either-or, not a sum.

Is that an expression? asks Cherry.

YES! says Terence. Either you dry up or I'll WET you!

Cherry dries up.

Sweezus and Arthur have gone to Salinas, says Saint Roley. They borrowed Pedro's bike. And the children's.

That's three bikes for two people, thinks Cherry. It doesn't add up.