Vinegar Of Memory

The Leadbeater's possum has come down from it's hollow.

C-huh! says the Leadbeater's possum.

It has a cough, says Squattu.

So I hear, says Gaius.

I said you might know a cure, says Squattu.

Vinegar, if my memory serves me, says Gaius.

I thought you said he had notes, says the Leadbeater's possum.

He does, says Squattu.

I read them, says Terence. They were all about you.

You didn't exactly read them, says Squattu.

So what? says Terence.

All about me? says the Leadbeater's possum. 

About the Leadbeater's possum, says Pierre-Louis. I've read them too.

It doesn't answer to Leadbeater's possum, says Squattu. 

Interesting, says Gaius. What name does your family go by?

C-huh! coughs the Leadbeater's possum.

Cough-possums, says Terence.

No! says the Leadbeater's possum That's just me. Can we cure my cough first?

Give me a moment, says Gaius. I'll just check my notes.

He doesn't have his notes with him, but he does have his smart phone. He googles himself (and coughs and vinegar).

Aha! Vinegar checks nausea and hiccups. Inhaling the fumes will stop sneezes. Holding vinegar in the mouth wards off the effect of too hot a bath.....da-de-dah, and so on.... here we are! Vinegar checks chronic coughs, cattarh and gum shrinkage!

That's for me, says the Leadbeater's possum.

Do we have any vinegar? asks Pierre-Louis.

No, says Gaius. Let me think...hmm, but we do have some apples. The main ingredient for apple cider vinegar.

Surely you're not suggesting we make our own? asks Pierre-Louis

Why not? says Gaius. All one does is mix apple chunks, sugar and water togther in a container and wait for three weeks.

Three weeks! says the Leadbeater's possum.

We would leave it with you, says Gaius. Do we have any sugar? 

I have a barley sugar in my pocket, says Pierre-Louis. 

That will do, says Gaius. And we have water. Let's get to work. Hand me an apple.

I didn't bring the apples, says Pierre-Louis. They're back at the campsite. But I'll go back and get one.

Bring a knife too, says Gaius.

Pierre-Louis is not sure that anyone packed a knife.

He goes off.

What will Gaius do if he comes back with no knife and and apple?

Use his teeth?

But in any case there is no need to worry.

In the tree tops above him, the parents of the Leadbeater's possum are returning, with honeydew.