The Merry Tinker

Say What?

The sun was just climbing to its peak when Mr. Pig woke up. Mother Geese was in the kitchen preparing the grocery list. Mr. Pig walked straight to the fridge and took a can of beer.

' I have the grocery list,' she said in her shrill voice.

' Yeah … okay,' he replied as he took a swing from the can.

She fussed over him a little … helped him with the jacket and sent him on his way. “ Be back later ,' he burped as he put the Triumph TR6 into gear and shot down the road.

She took out the wash to the garden and put them on the clothes line to dry. She felt a twitch and heard what sounded like a gruff voice behind her and turned to look. It was Mr. Wolf … the tinker … with his cow driven cart of pots … pans … and kitchen utensils.

He took his cap off and bowed in mock gallantry at Mother Geese. ' Top of the morning … Madam, what a beautiful sight on such a beautiful day as this.'

' Good morning sir,' she replied with a small lump in her throat … that she gulped to remove.

' A lovely garden,' he continued as he came closer, ' Ah! Tomatoes!,' he exclaimed with enthusiasm.

Mother Geese stopped fighting her impulses … and beamed with delight. ' You should see the cucumbers on the fence,' she pointed to the back of the garden.

' Oh gosh! … goodness!,' he continued to exclaim. ' Madam … for a handful of tomatoes and cucumbers … I'll fix anything in your house.'

' Well,' she began slowly, ' The back door has a loose latch … the roof is leaking on the south side … and my knives need sharpening.'

' At your service madam,' Mr. Wolf smiled broadly. ' A fair wage for a fair work.' He went back to his cart … took out the tools and made for the cottage.

Mother Goose finished hanging out the clothes … washed the bucket and walked down the garden to pluck some cucumbers and tomatoes. She saw the white butterfly fluttering near the daisies but decided to ignore her.

' Morning mother,' White Butterfly called out hesitatingly.

' Good morning,' Mother replied, her self control was back in place.

There was an uneasy pause … as Mother plucked the cucumbers. The White Butterfly continued with its visits to each flower … swaying … sailing … in the breeze … like she didn't have a care in the world. Mother avoided looking at her … but her body ached as her thoughts went to her husband Mr. Pig.

A sudden gust of wind dashed past her and swept White Butterfly off her wings … in a mad wobble … and tossed her close to the brinjals. She held on to the leaves until the wind swept past. Mother smiled quietly to herself but didn't say anything. White Butterfly … in a state of self conscious embarrassment … blurted out.

' Why don't you say it?' she called out to Mother Goose.

' No need to say anything,' Mother replied, ' Flaky … is what flaky does.'

' Oh yeah …,' White Butterfly replied, ' Well … a waddle is what fat does.'

Mr. Wolf had just climbed into the rafter and poked his head through the hole in the thatch. He heard a loud fracas and saw that it was coming from the direction of the garden.

' Why don't you get a job and work like everybody else,” Mother was yelling.

From the brinjals he heard the butterfly reply, ' Its not my world … its yours … you work. I am the future and when I am born in the world … I don't need to work … I'll get machines to do it for me.'

' Yoo-hoo,' Mr. Wolf called from the roof. ' I'm sorry to interrupt … but did you ladies see a brown lizard … the size of a kangaroo … with blue stripes on the side … walk by?'

They paused and looked at him.

' Can't say I have,' Mother replied.

' Well … if you see him … tell him I need the Virgil saw … and the Aeneid hammer … to sharpen the knives. He was just close behind me just now and should be arriving shortly. He's my assistant.'

Mother thought it curious that a saw or hammer be used to sharpen knives.

' A strange man,' she uttered.

' You can say that again,' replied the butterfly … with her face in a frown.

Just then they saw the brown lizard walking haphazardly in their direction. He saw them in the garden … walked over to the cart … and before they could say anything … took out the saw and the hammer and turned to the house.

' What a strange man?' Mother blurted with her mouth open.

' I'll say,' replied the butterfly, ' how did he know what to do?'

Mother carried the bucket of vegetables and hurried to the house. The butterfly sailed behind her. They saw the lizard climb the ladder to give the saw and hammer to Mr. Wolf. Then he came down and started taking the knives out to the cart to have them sharpened on the stone.

' Well … I'll be …' Mother exclaimed, ' oh my gosh! … look what you have been doing,' she turned to the butterfly.

' Me? ' the butterfly shot back … its you who are always fighting with me … and not paying attention to anything else … you! You only hear what you want.' she emphasized.

' Then it must be true,' Mother replied ' but I thought I heard him say …'

The butterfly cut her off.

' And when you are not fighting you're in a world of your own … dreaming … and not pay attention to what's going on. I won't be that way when I am born. I will listen properly to everything everybody says.'

Just then they heard the TR6 come to a stop outside. Mr. Pig came through the door with a bag of groceries.

' Honey … guess what?' He called. ' Everybody in town thinks you are the pig and I am the geese.'

' Awwww … ' the butterfly replied as her voice dragged and faded slowly.

The voice of Mr. Wolf on the roof sailed down to them. He was singing a children's rhyme,

' I am the Sheikh of Araby , Your love belongs to me, At night when you sleep, Into your tent I'll creep.'