Red Willy

Vello walks across to the Dart Blaster entrance.

Are you open this evening? asks Vello.

Depends, says the guy in the Dart Blaster tee shirt.

He starts setting his Dart Blasters up, on a low table.

On what? asks Vello.

Crowd numbers, says the Dart Blaster guy.

And how noisy is it? asks Vello.

Gets pretty noisy sometimes, says Dart Blaster. Want a go?

No thanks, says Vello. 

Can I have a go? asks Terence, who has followed Vello to the gate of the arena.

Not open yet, says Dart Blaster guy. Come back in ten minutes.

Yay! says Terence.

He runs back to tell Hedley.

Yay! says Hedley.

Before you go anywhere, says Belle, I want you to try on these red sheep shorts I've knitted.

Knitted? says Terence.

Knitted! says Hedley. 

Belle takes the red knitted shorts from the bag.

She holds one pair of shorts up. Then she turns it, to reveal a short woolly tail.

Is that the front? asks Hedley.

It's a red willy! laughs Terence. 

It's the tail, says Belle, and you must wear the tail at the back.

Okay, says Terence. trying on his red knitted sheep shorts with the tail at the back.

Try yours on, Hedley, says Hedley's mother.

Hedley is over-excited and tries his on backwards, for fun.

Not funny, Hedley, says Hedley's mother. But the shorts do fit nicely.

Thank you, says Belle.

Can we go now? asks Terence.

Where? asks Belle.

To the Dart Blaster arena, says Hedley. The man said he'd give us a go.

All right, says Hedley's mother. But I'm coming with you and if it's too violent you're coming straight back.

Aw, says Hedley. 

He and Terence dash off to the entrance, still in their red shorts.

Hedley's mother is about to follow when Vello calls her back.

I don't suppose you've remembered the seeds? says Vello.

Of course I've remembered, says Hedley's mother. 

She opens her bag and takes out several envelopes marked with the names of the seeds inside. Nasturtiums.

All nasturtiums? asks Vello.

Yes, says Hedley's mother, handing him the envelopes before hurrying to the Dart Blaster arena to check on the boys.

Nasturtiums! says Vello.

What's wrong with nasturtiums? asks David. They're quite attractive. And edible.

But do they fit our brand? mutters Vello.

Gaius offered dried beans, says David. And you didn't mind that. Do they fit our brand?

Vello sits down on the upturned ready-made basket.

And thinks about brands.

And Hedley's mother, and her nasturtiums.

From the other side of the camouflage fence he hears: Pew-pew! Gotcha! Pew-pew! Arrgh!

And Hedley's mother, shouting: Hedley! Stop right there!