BILLY & NEMO

Since the Year of the Chicken I feel like a lid has been lifted of my head and all sorts of stuff has been pouring out. Stuff that has been trapped for years. I have started writing and I can't seem to stop. Prose, stories, my reflections, descriptive observations. I even find myself writing in my head while in my car on my way to work. It doesn't stop.

Recently my daughter asked my if I ever told her stories as a child, my answer was no. When I thought about it, my answer was no because I didn't think anything I said was worth saying. Or for that matter listening to, or reading.

Over the years I have written all sorts of stuff. A lot of it is crap. Actually most of it is crap. But I have dabbled in a lot of different genres but something I have always enjoyed doing is writing for children.

I recently found, among the mountain of stuff (sorry shit) that I moved from our last house to this one, an exercise book that, in my twenties, I kept beside my bed. I would fill it's pages at 3 in the morning when the rest of the house was asleep. I warned you that I'm a long term insomniac.

William and his older brother Luke.
William has just celebrated his forth birthday.

Within the pages of this yellowed exercise book is a list of ideas for children's stories. Some I had even started. Since the discovery of this long lost snapshot of my twenty something's imagination I thought "why not breath some life back into the words on the pages of the exercise book". I have rewritten one of the children's stories but decided, for now, to keep it for another time. What I will share though is a birthday present I have written for my nephew William.

Below is a story written for Will for his Mum to read to him. If by chance you have your own small person to read the story to, by all means please feel free to do so.

BILLY & NEMO

I have a nephew, his name is Billy.
Billy loves his mum, loves his dad, loves his brothers and loves to fish.
Most of all, Billy loves his big white dog, Nemo, and Nemo loves Billy.
But what Nemo loves most is to play with Billy, and the game that Nemo likes to play is “hide and seek”.

o-O-o

At night Billy’s mum sits on his bed and reads Billy his favourite stories. Just before Billy goes to sleep he asks his mum. “Mum, where’s Nemo?”
“Why Billy, he’s under the bed”.
Billy lies on his belly and lifts up the sheets and looks under the bed. Sure enough, there is Nemo, with his head on his paws and waiting to be found.
“Found you Nemo”. Nemo gives Billy a big wet lick. Billy licks Nemo back.

 o-O-o

In the morning Billy eats his breakfast, listening to it snap, crackle and pop in the bowl. Just before the last spoonful disappears into Billy's mouth, he asks his mum. “Mum, where’s Nemo?”
“Why Billy, he’s on the couch, watching cartoons”.
Billy runs to the couch and looks over the back. Sure enough, there is Nemo, lying on his back with his tongue hanging out, waiting to be found.
“Found you Nemo”. Nemo wiggles over and makes room. Billy crawls in beside Nemo, lies on his back and hangs his tongue too.

 o-O-o

In the laundry Billy helps his mum sort the clothes for the washing machine. Just before Billy is about to be covered by a giant pile of washing he asks his mum. “Mum, where’s Nemo?”
“Why Billy, he’s in the garage, looking for spiders”.
Billy runs to the garage and throws open the door. Sure enough, there is Nemo, sniffing in the corners of the garage and waiting to be found.
“Found you Nemo”. Nemo bounds out of the garage and runs round in circles. Billy also runs round in circles but Billy gets dizzy and falls over.

 o-O-o

At lunch time Billy sits at the table and eats his lunch. Just before all his sandwiches and milk is gone Billy asks his mum. “Mum, where’s Nemo?”
“Why Billy, he’s in the garden, playing with the chooks”.
Billy runs to the window and looks out. Sure enough, there is Nemo, following the chooks around, nipping as their tail feathers and waiting to be found.
“Found you Nemo”. Nemo accidently catches the tail of one of the chickens in teeth and pulls out some feathers. Billy whispers loudly out the window. “Nemo, don’t do that or Mum will be mad.”

 o-O-o

At the end of the day Billy and his mum are in the garden picking peas, pulling carrots and collecting eggs for dinner. Just before they go back upstairs Billy asks his mum. “Mum, where’s Nemo?”
“Why Billy, he’s under the mango tree. Shhh, he’s asleep”.
Billy looks under the mango tree. Sure enough, there is Nemo, fast asleep in a pile of leaves, under the mango tree.
“Found you Nemo” Billy whispers. And Billy and his mum tiptoe back to the house to make their dinner, leaving Nemo to sleep.

o-O-o