Sister Of An Accident

Gaius, Humboldt, Sweezus and Arthur eat the omelette.

Celia is waiting outside.

She doesn't like egg smells.

Terence waits with her.

We're the SAME, says Terence. I don't like egg smells.

We're not the same, says Celia. I'm a parrot.

I only eat red things, says Terence. And drink red drinks.

That's very foolish, says Celia. It's an unbalanced diet.

It IS balanced, says Terence.

You clearly don't know what balanced means, says Celia.

It's a red plum in one hand and a red drink in the other, says Terence.

It's when you eat enough different food groups, says Celia. Take me, for example.

No way. You don't have enough red parts, says Terence.

Very funny, says Celia. I eat seeds, nectar, pollen, blossoms, insects and larvae. That's a well-balanced diet.

You only eat things that smell nice, says Terence.

Not all insects smell nice, says Celia.

That's true! Terence loves this sort of grown up conversation.

What else will they talk about?

How about where they are going?

We're going home soon, says Terence. And you're coming.

What is home like? asks Celia. Are there parrots there?

Outside, says Terence. They eat apricots.

What's inside? asks Celia.

Saint Roley is inside, says Terence. He'll be waiting.

And he is? asks Celia.

Not my parrot, says Terence. He's nobody's bird. He is the brother of an accident.

Do you mean his brother had an accident? asks Celia. And he is a bird?

Yes, and his brother was a bird, says Terence. And he floated away in the wrong direction. And Saint Roley was sad.

Is that why he didn't come with you? asks Celia.

No, says Terence.

I should like to meet Saint Roley, says Celia. I am the sister of an accident.

Terence is not mature enough to follow this up properly by asking What happened to your sister?

So Celia continues.

It's a sad story. We were laid in the hollow trunk of a tree, near the ground. But the hole was high up in the tree. We were forgotten. A nut dropped on me and I struggled out. But no nut dropped on my sister.