is a CREATURE FEATURE, and the creature is SKITTLES.
ALL OF MY CRITTERS, with the exception of the Dane, have their own portraits painted on tiles, which are mounted in a row along the front verandah, but Skittles is the only one so far to have his own dedicated plant pot.
We’ll continue with episode 2 of Bright Lights, the story of a country girl’s introduction to the city, and conclude with an historical but somewhat vulgar poem.
BRIGHT LIGHTS - part 2
FROM THE KITCHEN the girls could hear the murmur of conversation wafting down the hall. Tantalisingly, no words could be distinguished.
Janet carried the tray to the sitting room, followed by Rebecca with the teapot. Mrs Gayle wore an air of satisfaction – of triumph, even. Mrs Healey’s expression was more that of the losing general on a field of war.
She said, “Mrs Gayle, these are my girls, Janet and Rebecca.”
They said “How do you do?” politely, poured the tea and passed the cake. Mrs Gayle’s air of triumph grew.
“I believe one of you girls is very good with cattle.”
“Janet,” Rebecca said.
“Janet, how would you like to come to Sydney for the Royal Easter Show?”
Janet was struck dumb. Behind her she heard her sister’s quick indrawn breath.
“Darling, Mrs Gayle’s stud groom has been taken to hospital with appendicitis, and she needs someone to take her place for the Show. But (hopefully) you need not go if you don’t want to.”
Janet’s eyes darted from her mother to Mrs Gayle, then to her disappointed sister.
“Perhaps if Rebecca could come too?”
“I’m sorry, Janet,” Mrs Gayle broke in crisply. “You will be travelling down in the truck with the cattle, and there is only room for one. It will be a marvellous opportunity for you to see the Show and gain some experience. Your mother tells me that you have never been to Sydney.”
“Neither of us has,” a small resentful voice breathed in the background.
~to be continued~
Tony’s Rotten Day
Scene: beside the dock at Circular Quay, Feb., 1913
into his cart; he’s busy at the time:
but his dozing horse lets forth a loud and pestilential fart
and the foul wind knocks the kid right off the cart.
he kicks and bucks, and Tony fears the cart’ll
tip into the water (he’s parked next to the dock),
and it surely does, while naughty urchins mock.
undone by an urchin and a horse’s fart.
