‘Poor Bryce.’
‘He’s not going to be happy when he finds out what he’s missing,’ said Clem, reaching into her school backpack. ‘It’s Darcy’s turn but I’m doing it for him. Gorp.’
The frown on Tong’s face deepened. ‘What gorp?’
Clem smiled then said, ‘Gorp can be whatever you want it to be. It’s a real mishmash.’ Taking out some disposable cups and plastic spoons she handed them around. Bella sniffed in the direction of each cup, her sensitive nose seeking a scent. Clem pulled out various vacuum-sealed bags and placed them on top of the TV. There were sultanas and sesame seeds and oatmeal and dried apricots. Next came sunflower seeds and peanuts.
‘Muesli,’ said Mio, disappointed.
‘Not muesli,’ replied Clem as pretzels, chocolate chips, cheese puffs and candy-coated balls of chocolate were added to the pile. Clem grinned as she announced, ‘Last, but not least, some mini marshmallows.’ She turned to Tong. ‘Tip a bit of whatever you like into your cup, mix it up, then gorp to your heart’s delight.’
Bella gave a high-pitched whimper of delight as food scattered all over the floor.
‘It’s surprising,’ said Darcy, shovelling cupfuls into his mouth, ‘how good this tastes.’ Gorp flew out as he talked, oatmeal flakes and sesame seeds twirling in the air like dandelion parachutes.
‘Darcy Jacobs! Eat with your mouth shut.’
‘Yes’m.’
The kids settled back, chewing so hard they got jaw-ache, unlike Bella whose eager tongue licked back and forth, never seeming to get tongue-ache.
‘Anything to drink?’ asked Darcy. ‘I’m thirsty.’
‘Forgot.’
Darcy opened his mouth, his tongue lolling to show his desperation for a drop of moisture.
‘You look like a cow,’ said Clem, then she started to moo, making Bella jump with fright.
Finally, they’d had their fill.
‘Lucky about key-ring,’ said Tong. ‘Make Bryce’s dad happy.’
‘Nothing makes Bryce’s dad happy,’ said Clem, resealing plastic bags and returning them to the backpack.
Darcy shook his head in wonder, saying, ‘Who’d’ve thought he’d get those keys back?’
‘Not me,’ said Mio. ‘He’s had great luck. I must ask him if he dreamt of the treasure ship.’
‘What treasure ship?’
‘In Japan, they have seven gods of luck who travel in the treasure ship. Hotei’s my favourite. Rub his belly and it brings you contentment and happiness.’ Mio smiled at the memory of the happy, jolly god. ‘When you dream of the treasure boat, good fortune comes your way.’
‘In Vietnam, red is colour of good luck and happiness.’
‘In Japan, too.’
‘Kids get red…’ Tong searched for the word, then gave up. He used his fingers to draw a rectangle in the air, then mimed opening a flap.
‘Envelopes?’ suggested Mio.
‘Yes, envelope with li xi, lucky money.’
‘Some Jewish people have these for luck,’ announced Clem. She held up a silver charm on a chain. It was of a hand with an inverted thumb and pinky pointing outwards. Inside was an eye. ‘The hand is God’s hand,’ explained Clem, ‘and the eye protects us from the evil eye. Dad and Mum gave it to me.’
‘So many ways to have good luck,’ said Mio. She turned to Tong and said, ‘Wonder how the key-ring got up there? It’s so strange because it was stolen at the station which is such a long way away.’
Tong lowered his eyes. How he wished it was his bike he’d found up there instead. Then hecould visit Mr Lark. He could imagine how Mr Lark’s eyes would twinkle at the news. Tong’s reverie was shattered when Darcy asked, ‘Was there anything else up on the tower, Tong?’
Tong dropped his eyes again and shifted in his seat. He didn’t want to get his friend into any more trouble. Because of him Bryce was in trouble enough. Tong told the others about the rope and the way it had been tied up, after they’d left it dangling the day before.
‘That doesn’t help,’ said Darcy.
‘It would if
‘He’s not going to be happy when he finds out what he’s missing,’ said Clem, reaching into her school backpack. ‘It’s Darcy’s turn but I’m doing it for him. Gorp.’
The frown on Tong’s face deepened. ‘What gorp?’
Clem smiled then said, ‘Gorp can be whatever you want it to be. It’s a real mishmash.’ Taking out some disposable cups and plastic spoons she handed them around. Bella sniffed in the direction of each cup, her sensitive nose seeking a scent. Clem pulled out various vacuum-sealed bags and placed them on top of the TV. There were sultanas and sesame seeds and oatmeal and dried apricots. Next came sunflower seeds and peanuts.
‘Muesli,’ said Mio, disappointed.
‘Not muesli,’ replied Clem as pretzels, chocolate chips, cheese puffs and candy-coated balls of chocolate were added to the pile. Clem grinned as she announced, ‘Last, but not least, some mini marshmallows.’ She turned to Tong. ‘Tip a bit of whatever you like into your cup, mix it up, then gorp to your heart’s delight.’
Bella gave a high-pitched whimper of delight as food scattered all over the floor.
‘It’s surprising,’ said Darcy, shovelling cupfuls into his mouth, ‘how good this tastes.’ Gorp flew out as he talked, oatmeal flakes and sesame seeds twirling in the air like dandelion parachutes.
‘Darcy Jacobs! Eat with your mouth shut.’
‘Yes’m.’
The kids settled back, chewing so hard they got jaw-ache, unlike Bella whose eager tongue licked back and forth, never seeming to get tongue-ache.
‘Anything to drink?’ asked Darcy. ‘I’m thirsty.’
‘Forgot.’
Darcy opened his mouth, his tongue lolling to show his desperation for a drop of moisture.
‘You look like a cow,’ said Clem, then she started to moo, making Bella jump with fright.
Finally, they’d had their fill.
‘Lucky about key-ring,’ said Tong. ‘Make Bryce’s dad happy.’
‘Nothing makes Bryce’s dad happy,’ said Clem, resealing plastic bags and returning them to the backpack.
Darcy shook his head in wonder, saying, ‘Who’d’ve thought he’d get those keys back?’
‘Not me,’ said Mio. ‘He’s had great luck. I must ask him if he dreamt of the treasure ship.’
‘What treasure ship?’
‘In Japan, they have seven gods of luck who travel in the treasure ship. Hotei’s my favourite. Rub his belly and it brings you contentment and happiness.’ Mio smiled at the memory of the happy, jolly god. ‘When you dream of the treasure boat, good fortune comes your way.’
‘In Vietnam, red is colour of good luck and happiness.’
‘In Japan, too.’
‘Kids get red…’ Tong searched for the word, then gave up. He used his fingers to draw a rectangle in the air, then mimed opening a flap.
‘Envelopes?’ suggested Mio.
‘Yes, envelope with li xi, lucky money.’
‘Some Jewish people have these for luck,’ announced Clem. She held up a silver charm on a chain. It was of a hand with an inverted thumb and pinky pointing outwards. Inside was an eye. ‘The hand is God’s hand,’ explained Clem, ‘and the eye protects us from the evil eye. Dad and Mum gave it to me.’
‘So many ways to have good luck,’ said Mio. She turned to Tong and said, ‘Wonder how the key-ring got up there? It’s so strange because it was stolen at the station which is such a long way away.’
Tong lowered his eyes. How he wished it was his bike he’d found up there instead. Then hecould visit Mr Lark. He could imagine how Mr Lark’s eyes would twinkle at the news. Tong’s reverie was shattered when Darcy asked, ‘Was there anything else up on the tower, Tong?’
Tong dropped his eyes again and shifted in his seat. He didn’t want to get his friend into any more trouble. Because of him Bryce was in trouble enough. Tong told the others about the rope and the way it had been tied up, after they’d left it dangling the day before.
‘That doesn’t help,’ said Darcy.
‘It would if
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