The Original Teeth

It's getting hotter.

And Gloria has not woken up.

Terence and Pa'u are waiting.

She looks like a pot, says Terence. A pot with white hair.

Yes she does, says Pa'u. She used to have hands and a body.

Gloria's eyelids flicker, but she remains forty-winking.

Was that when she made the pot you're on? asks Terence. With crocodile teeth?

It was called 'Kambal the Crocodile and Pa'u the Lizard Exchange Teeth', says Pa'u.

Is it a true story? asks Terence.

I don't know, says Pa'u. I'm not the original Pa'u.

Terence wonders at this. Perhaps he is not the original Terence. Come to think of it, the Virgin never called him Terence. Nor did Saint Joseph.

Can you be not the original you? asks Terence.

A lizard can, says Pa'u. Are you listening to the story or are you going off on a tangent?

Listening, says Terence.

Kambal the crocodile wants to go hunting and fishing, but he doesn't have any teeth, says Pa'u.

Why? asks Terence.

The original crocodile didn't, says Pa'u.

No teeth. Terence doesn't believe it. He is going to ask Gaius.

The crocodile tricks the lizard into lending him his teeth, says Pa'u. Which proves I wasn't the lizard.

Why? asks Terence.

I'm not easily tricked, says Pa'u.

What about with difficulty? asks Terence.

Shut up, says Pa'u. The original Pa'u had a set of powerful teeth, just like I have.

Let's see, says Terence.

Pa'u opens his pink mouth, running his blue tongue proudly across his white teeth.

Good for crunching snail shells and invertebrates, says Pa'u.

How did he trick you? asks Terence.

He didn't give them back, says Pa'u.

But.... says Terence.

Now what? asks Pa'u. Don't tell me you don't believe it because I've got teeth. I told you I'm not the original.

So who's got them? asks Terence.

What? asks Pa'u.

The original teeth, says Terence.

Pa'u thinks it's time this nonsense ended.

He flicks Gloria, who is asleep in the hole.

Oh-ah, says Gloria. Was I sleeping? Have you finished your pots?

Terence looks at his clay lumps which have hardened.

Don't worry, says Gloria. What about the basket?

Not yet. says Pa'u.

He continues weaving grass in and out, in and out, until the basket is finished.

Terence drops the lumps into the basket.

Then he and Gloria make their way back to the cabin.

Pa'u watches them go.

He makes himself comfy, on a red rock in the sunshine.

And does not trouble himself with anomalies.