Al Beano

Dad keeps checking his watch.

Feel like jogging, Jerry? asks Dad.

Yeah, dad, says Jerry. But maybe not here.

The cliff path is steep. and they're going down it.

On one side is the forest, and on the other side, a sharp drop to the sea.

Only kidding, says Dad. So what if we take a bit longer?

Yeah, so what? says Jerry.

You can tell Mum you saw a wallaby, says Dad. She'll be impressed.

What about Terence? asks Jerry. Will he be impressed?

You can never tell with Terence, says Dad. He tends to embellish.

What's that mean? asks Jerry.

Improve his stories, says Dad.

I could improve my wallaby story, says Jerry.

It's a good enough story as it is, says Dad. It was an albino. You don't often see them.

I guess so, says Jerry.

They have reached a low part of the trail.

They start jogging.

.....

Mum, Captain Bruni and Terence are waiting outside the Museum.

They're late, says Mum.

Maybe they fell off the trail and into the sea, says Terence.

I'll call Barry, says Mum.

So now we know Dad's name is Barry.

She calls Barry.

Barry, where are you? Oh. Okay. See you in five minutes.

They're just coming, says Mum. And apparently they've seen a white wallaby. That's exciting.

I wish I went, says Terence.

You made your choice, says Captain Bruni. And you chose the Museum of Pacific Exploration. The  better choice, in my opinion.

Yes, says Mum. All those journals, maps and documents. And the remains of Cook's tree. You'll have such a lot to tell Jerry.

Terence can't remember any journals, maps and documents.

And it wasn't even Cook's tree.

.....

Later. Dad is driving everyone back to the ferry landing.

Mum is talking about the Museum.

Dad is trying to listen to the conversation in the back seat.

Jerry is describing the wallaby.

And it had big pink ears, says Jerry.

Like a rabbit, says Terence.

It was albino, says Jerry.

Al Beano, says Terence. Ha ha! A rabbit called Al Beano.

Al-BINO, says Jerry. It had pink eyes as well.

Did you take a photo? asks Terence.

No, says Jerry. We didn't want to scare it.

What was it doing? asks Terence.

(It was just standing there, but Jerry decides to embellish).

It was lost, says Jerry.

How do you know? asks Terence.

It was by itself, says Jerry.

That doesn't mean lost, says Terence. Maybe it was a grandpa.

So what? says Jerry.

A grandpa can't get lost, says Terence. Even if he's all by himself.

Well, that proves it wasn't a grandpa, says Jerry.

Why? asks Terence.

Because it was lost, says Jerry.

Good one Jerry, thinks Dad, because he heard that, even though he seemed to be listening to Mum.