Woop Has Two Meanings

Dad pulls up outside the Jetty Café.

Everyone gets out.

This looks nice, says Mum. Let's get a coffee.

They all go inside.

There's a queue at the counter.

I'll wait, says Dad. You go and look at the art work.

Thanks, says Mum. Coming Jerry. Coming Terence?

Can I have my knife back? asks Terence.

A few people turn, to see what kind of child has asked this question.

Not yet, says Mum, hastily.

She hurries Jerry and Terence away, to look at the artwork. Wooden objects. Paintings of water and bush.

This is boring, says Terence. I'm going outside to wait.

Don't go far off, says Mum. Stay with your parrot.

Jinjing is outside already, not having come in.

Why didn't you come in? asks Terence.

Bad vibes, says Jinjing. And I'm keeping a lookout for Arthur. I'm worried about him.

No one worries about Arthur, says Terence.

I do, says Jinjing.

Look! cries Terence. Two red parrots!

Those are not parrots, says Jinjing. Nor are they forty spotted pardalotes. Ignore them.

No, says Terence. I'm going to inspect them.

He stomps over to the shrub on which the not-parrots are balancing.

Hello, red parrots, says Terence.

Are you him? asks one of the not-parrots. You don't look important.

I am important, says Terence. See this claw?

It's broken, says the other one. And we're not red parrots. Don't you know anything?

What are you? asks Terence.

Beautiful Firetails, say the two not-parrots, together.

They turn on the branch to display their red rumps.

Wow. Says Terence. I mean Woop.

What's the difference? asks the female Beautiful Firetail.

Nothing, says Terence. But Woop has two meanings, and Wow doesn't.

So there is a difference, says the male Beautiful Firetail to the female.

Apparently so, says the female. Is there any point in going on with this? He is not who we seek.

I am! says Terence. Who do you seek?

An adult, a natural historian, a scientific person on a bicycle, says the female.

That's my leader, says Terence. He's coming. Stay here.

Now we're getting somewhere, says the female.

Jinjing flies over.

They're coming!

P. krameri lands first.

I see you have made contact with two Beautiful Firetails, says P. krameri. I'll take over from here.

We won't talk to parrots, says the female Firetail.

They only talk to grown ups, says Terence.

The two grown ups coast up the track on their bicycles and come to a halt at the shrub.

Jinjing looks with concern at Arthur's knee.