No Human Perceives it

Gaius has every intention of leaving the eucalypt forest.

He stands.

He stuffs his unsorted papers into his back pack.

He turns.

But then: A green flash whizzes by him.

If he is not mistaken the green flash had long pointed wings and tapering tail feathers.

Could it have been a critically endangered Swift Parrot?

The bird passed him before he could register its other features.

He squats again, and keeps very still.

Nothing else happens for twenty minutes.

He stands.

I must leave now, says Gaius. As it is, I shall be late meeting Katherine.

All is quiet, in the eucalypt forest.

A green flash whizzes by, and no human perceives it.

Gaius has left to meet Katherine and pick up his cheese.

He will be late, though.

Katherine is running late too.

She was held up at the Cheese Co, when she bumped into Dad, Mum and Jerry.

That's Terence's grandma! says Jerry.

I'm not his grandma, says Katherine. But I remember you from the kiosk. You and your Spew Balls.

He's finished his Spew Balls, says Mum. But they've spoiled his appetite. Now he won't even look at the cheeses.

Such nice cheeses, says Katherine. And some have names which suggest their French origins. Tom for example, referencing Tomme, a French Savoie cheese.

Yes I noticed, says Mum. Are you buying the Tom?

No, I thought I'd get an Oen, a Saint  and an Otto, and maybe a Nanna.

The Nanna's matured in compost, says Dad. What are we supposed to make of that?

Herb and lavender compost, says Mum.

Then why call it compost? says Dad.

It stinks, says Jerry.

You and Terence would get on well, says Katherine.

They did, says Mum. In fact we were just talking about Terence.

Because I'm BORED, says Jerry.

Terence is busy looking for endangered birds, says Katherine.

We're heading to South Bruny to check out the Lighthouse, says Dad.

I'm taking some cheeses to Gaius, says Katherine. Then I'm going back to the mainland.

I wish I was looking for endangered birds, says Jerry.

Terence probably wishes he was going to the Lighthouse, says Katherine.

Perhaps we could give him a call, says Mum. He and Jerry could talk about their adventures.

What a lovely idea, says Katherine. I'll give you my number. No, better still give me yours. I'll call you when I'm with Terence. Won't that be nice, Jerry?

Jerry wrinkles his nose, like someone who's just smelled a Nanna.