What You Don't Have

A beautiful bird, sighs Pinky, when the comb crested jacana has gone.

You should get married, says Terence.

Pinky turns pinker.

Nonsense, says Kobo. They are like brother and sister.

SHE didn't come out of a pale brown egg, says Terence.

No she didn't, says Kobo. But they have similar features.

Yes, says Pinky. He has a red comb and I have a pink comb.

I know what you don't have, says Terence.

Kobo changes the subject before Terence can say it.

Shall we go back to the cabin and see how the plum box is progressing?

Yes let's, says Pinky. How will we get there?

In the sauce bottle, says Terence.

I'm never getting in a sauce bottle again, says Pinky.

Nor am I, says Kobo. Terence, do you have pockets?

Terence doesn't know. He looks down at his snake shorts.

Yes! he has pockets!

Maybe his lost things are in them.

His magic bracelet!

He feels in the pockets.

Nothing but a few puffs of cotton fluff, the sort that builds up in pockets.

I have got pockets, says Terence. But they are disappointing.

That's because they are empty, says Kobo. What if they were full? I shall go in one and Pinky in the other, and you shall carry us back to the cabin.

There's fluff in the bottom, says Terence.

All the better, says Kobo.

........

Back at the cabin, Gaius idly watches the snakes.

Their tails pulsate softly.

Anything doing? asks Humboldt.

Not yet, says Gaius.

Humboldt scratches his earlobe and looks at the clock.

What's the plan? asks Humboldt.

When they wake up we'll examine them properly, says Gaius. Note their differences. Take some more snaps. Inform them of the crowd funding enterprise. Get their suggestions.

Have you considered that they might be hungry? asks Humboldt.

Good thinking, says Gaius. They eat blind worms. We should go out and gather a few.

We should, says Humboldt.

The phone rings. It's Sweezus.

Hey Gaius! We're all good to go!

What? Good to go where? asks Gaius.

Back to Oz, says Sweezus. The crowdfunding's going gangbusters. We've already got fifteen thousand.

Miraculous! says Gaius. Who'd have thought people would give so much money to move a few snakes they've never heard of?

Yeah, well, says Sweezus. That one didn't go so great. Only raised a few hundred. The money's for our other one.

Other one? What other one?

Don't freak, says Sweezus. It's kind of nuts, but it's Green Crocs For Crocs. Like Terence promised.

You mean people have donated money to buy Crocs for the crocodile Terence granted green Crocs to, croaks Gaius.

Yup, says Sweezus. And all the other crocs in the top end.

I had no idea crocodiles were so well regarded, says Gaius.

That's just it, says Sweezus. They're not.