Our Hearts Were Still Beating

 So Paul McCartney was in Scotland, says Katherine.

Yes, says Nerida. He went there when the band was breaking up. And he wrote it.

Scotland is a good place for that sort of thing, says Katherine. I should know. I was born there.

Wow! says Nerida. Did you write any songs?

No, says Katherine. What I meant was, there are long and winding roads in Scotland.

There are long and winding roads everywhere, says Gaius.

Not where I come from, says Freddy.

Where? asks Terence.

You know, says Freddy The hospital dispensing machine.

I forgot, says Terence. Go on. Start singing.

Freddy starts singing.

Whyyyy, does the sun go on shining? Whyyyy, does the sea rush to shooore? Don't theyy know, it's the ennnd of the world, 'cause you don't love me any moooore?

Pause, says Terence.

Why? asks Freddy. 

Did you make that song up? asks Terence.

No, I didn't, says Freddy. 

You should have, says Terence.

Why? asks Freddy.

Because you always ask why, says Terence, and you have a Y bead in your head.

Good detective work, says Katherine. But let's let Freddy keep singing.

What do you mean, I should have? says Freddy.

You should have, says Terence.

How could I when it was already a song before? asks Freddy.

Before what? asks Terence.

Before I heard it, says Freddy

Terence thinks he understands Freddy's question. But it needs some more thought. 

And a marshmallow would help with the thinking.

This time he's not going to ask.

Freddy keeps singing.

Whyyy, does my heart go on beating, whyyy, do these eyes of mine cry, don't theyy know, it's the ennnd of the world, it ended when you said goodbye.

I'm sure I've heard that song before, says Katherine.

It's heaps old, says Nerida.

Thank you, Nerida, says Katherine. Are you sure you heard it in the hospital, Freddy?

Yes, says Freddy. It made us frogs happy. We couldn't see one another, in our separate packets, but we knew that our hearts were still beating.

That is probably why it was played in the hospital, says Gaius. To cheer up the patients.

What about 'You don't love me any more'? says Nerida.

Not that part, says Gaius. But the overarching sentiment is that life will go on.

Exactly, says Freddy

Exactly, says Terence.

Oops! He probably shouldnt have said it, with his mouth full.