“All right kids, are we all here? One, two, three, four—good. Best behavior when we go inside please. Okay, here we go. All in a line please. Michael, over here with us. Quickly. Watch your step, Tia—there we go. Good job. Dylan, turn around please. Yes, that’s very clever, but we need to go up the escalator, so turn around. That’s the way. Don’t touch that. Zack, you’ve got your shoes on the wrong feet! You silly goose. It’s all right—we’ll fix it when we get up there. No, not now, don’t take them off now. When we get to the top. Dylan, turn around. Yes Sweetheart, this is fun, isn’t it? Finger out of your nose, Michael. Dylan, turn around—I won’t ask again.
“All right, here we go. Big step Tia—one… two… threeeee. There we go. Well done. Dylan, don’t even think about going back down the escalator. You said you were going to be good, remember? Are you going to be good for me? Thank you. Michael? Where’s Michael? Oh, there you are. Stay together please. Yes, all right Zack, you can take your shoes off now. Sit over there on the seat. Yes, okay—Michael, you can take Dylan to look at the snacks. Stay where I can see you, though. No taking anything, and no breaking anything! I’ll be there in a minute. Yes Sweetie, the carpet is very squiggly, isn’t it? Lots of colours. Zack! Why are you taking your pants off? Pull them back up—we’re just fixing your shoes. Here we go.
“All right, stay close to me now. Yes Sweetie, this is where we buy the tickets. Dylan, leave your brother alone. Zack, hold my hand please. No, we’re seeing the cartoon movie, with the dogs. Well that’s too bad. I asked you three times at home and you said you did want to see it. Yes, you can have a big popcorn. Huh? Over there? Oh, it looks like—yes, that’s police tape. Michael, finger out of your nose. It means the police are doing some work and they don’t want anyone else going in. Dylan, you’re starting to annoy me. You said you were going to be good. Hold my hand, Zack. Oh, I don’t know, Sweetie, maybe there was a robbery, or a hostage situation. Yes, it’s all over now. Michael, let the lady through please. Michael? Thank you. Zack, don’t touch that. Just leave it there. Because it’s yucky. No, that’s not paint on the floor Sweetie—it’s chalk. It lets the detectives know where someone was murdered. Okay Michael, here we go. You’ve got the money? And you remember what movie to ask for? Good boy. All right, we’ll wait here. Oh, you’re right Sweetie, there is someone there on the ground. Dylan! Give that back to your brother. That’s strike one. Now apologise. Oh yes, look at that. No, they’re actually ambulance officers, not police. Yes, they help sick people. Zack, it’s all right now—Dylan said he was sorry. What’s that? Oh, no. I think he might be too sick to help. Well, when they put a sheet over someone it means they’re dead. That’s right—like grandpa. You are a clever one. Oh look—here’s Michael. How did you go? Well done! All right, we’ve got the tickets—who wants some snacks? Ha-ha! All right, let’s go.”
© 2018 MILES VENISON ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
In Search of Lost Marbles 
Leave a Reply