Fantastic Metropolis

eh? You cannot expect me to explain away the confusion. When I am writing a book I get lost.*

The sun rose from the drink and set about another day in silence. At half past seven the Great B— arrived in the flying fox. He dejectedly lit up a coffin maker cigarette as he glided over the water searching for her. Suddenly a thousand parakeets anxiously marked the whereabouts of the stick. Boppy splashed down. With one bound he was at her side. It was the aged puppet’s turn to be impatient.

Scoop me up carefully with that pith helmet and get going I have foreseen a press gang of blind Venetians approaching. Bah! keep still. They are a quarter of a mile off. How far is it to the treasure? It lies nine hops from the end of sobered up river. Look here yemstchik† I have been thinking that nothing will do. I only want to be immortal if it is a tiresome dream. Gentle there chota hazri.‡ Time to take our leave.

Satisfied that no enchantment remained the pair floated out to the flying fox and stood for a moment gazing at the crescent moon. They felt unreal. Snap! Afraid we cannot complain said Granny Honeycomb ironing a little doubtfully with her corrugated iron in the stuffy kitchen. Our years (strange to say) disappear on the way.

* The W-a-x baby
† Russian carriage driver
‡ Indian for little breakfast

4

To me being maimed for life was not much of a change. Once or trice I lost a few years lying on the beach like a sack of flour feeling sorry for myself. You might say I discovered the reader’s revenge what of it? I am an old cat in a box full of straw. The pictures on the walls are no concern of mine. Wretched and alone bronchitis Harry breathed his last in the ostrich camps only too glad to get rid of this tear stained world. Ah the drawbacks of a wild life. A light breeze sent the flying fox backwards towards home.

All right dear I am making the words fit said the old bee keeper. This juncture of prosaic verse tells the story I pasted over. Aren’t you agog over the pages of hargle bargle in this book? Ha if you call peering about like a meerkat using your eyes. I thought I was too important for love. No my make believe friend our hero and heroine did not bicker. Tell the monsters round our pool to retreat. Sand hoppers are apt to mislead the absent minded kid leaving mainland Blenny to bottle out the mystery of desk 25 on his own. Mrs. H— smiled. Short adjournment?

Well if you enjoy helping others to their tiny spark stay indoors I’m full of thoughts of those who keep us starving. After an outburst of peevish silence I am kicking the future. Divide that by doubling half again and again you will go bankrupt. Nothing happened in the book selling business. Oh mother what is a defiantly self made man to do? It was October already and with ill concealed impatience Bullseye my old bulldog barked at the scarecrows drooping in the foreground. We could hear them at night laughing and talking nonsense at daybreak they stood still and apart. B— ’s mansion was situated on the wiseacres.

5

Certain wits thrive in a secluded place farthest from the applause. Boppy the great speedily unfurled the war sails choosing an opportune wind to take them racing home. The villa dying faun. Haunted at night by an audience of watchers with his tongue cut off the gentleman spy saw no reason to go on hiding. Spider crabs scuttle the colossal walls of rock. He steadied his nerves by flying around the moat for a few minutes. The head of a hippopotamus looks up sulphur crested cockatoos take wing. Lavinia wadset his daughter’s governess is waiting in the grotto.