‘Bertie Bertie Bertie, what HAVE you gotten yourself into now?!?’ Mrs Hatter was beside herself with the unending chaos her youngest was constantly bringing into their otherwise orderly family home.

‘Nothing ma, just playing is all!’

‘Well if THAT is the mess that PLAYING gets you into, I dread to think what would happen in you ever got into actual trouble! Goodness me, give me your overalls. That mud will need a jack hammer and acid bath to budge this time!’

Bertie looked up with a quiver, furry eyebrows furrowed over his black beaded eyes. The thought of an acid bath set off sparks of fear through his veins.

‘Oh Bertie I’m exaggerating!’

Mrs Hatter patted his head in comfort seeing his distress. ‘But really, you must take better care of things darling, really you must.’

‘Sorry ma’am,’ he bowed his head handing her his denim overalls, now a mottled field of browns rather than the navy blue they used to be.

Bertie’s feet padded down the hallway, floorboards creaking slightly as he walked. The door protested loudly as he closed it and shuffled the last few paces to his bed.

‘Hmphh’ he thought, somewhat deflated after his admonishment.

The day outside held so much celebration; the splashing and swooshing in the glorious mud which tickled at his fur; racing after butterflies and lizards that sprinted and flitted in a constant dance, the wind and the rain that played at his senses, flowers that overwhelmed and overjoyed his nose. How could all that be so wrong? When it was so much fun?

He wandered what he could find joy in that didn’t drive his poor mumma to tears. Eyes drifted round his room, eyeing books, old photos and newspaper clippings, toy cars with half peeled paint, a teddy bear he was now too old for with one button eye fallen off lying at its foot, watching the ceiling, glass jars brimming with birds feathers collected from the garden, a patchwork quilt with more repair patches than original ones, a baseball bat signed by his sporting hero Benny Ju, (class of ’67 at his school) a baseball with no signature that was just for pitching, and an umbrella, grey and drab as the clouds that made it unfold. Surely someone as worldly and wise as he (in his glorious 5 years) could find SOMETHING joyful to do…

A rustling caught his attention from the skirting board. The scratching of wood, the rusting of paper, and the squeak of a belittled mouse.

…’But Maaaaa!’ came a tiny peep, ‘That’s not FAAIIRR!!’ and with a slam that sounded like a walnut shell snapping shut but must have been thunderous to mouse ears, a furry little creature suddenly darted into the room.

Black beady eyes, twitching nose, grey-brown fur.

Black beady eyes, twitching mouth, brown-grey fur.

Locked gaze for a time. Glances stolen sideways for a quick escape, then, palpitations easing, glances idling sideways in awkward silence.

‘Um, hi who are you?’ Bertie broke the ice with trepidation, his mouth twitching with pride now he had overcome his shyness.

‘Oh! I-I’m Grevillia,’ came the squeak, pensive but curious.

‘What are you doing in my room?’

‘In your room?’ Her eyes widened and her twitch relaxed as she eyed the huge space around her. ‘But th-this was the back alley way. W-what happened to the alley?’ he eyes looked for eyes walls that no longer existed.

‘Oh you mean the desk; I just moved it over there yesterday.’ Bertie pointed to the old wooden desk he’d shifted down the wall a few feet. He realised he had indeed uncovered a little mouse hole in the process, revealed but still hiding in the shadows of a small pile of books.

Grevillea ran over the back of the desk. The graffiti was still there that her brothers had created in their rebellious escapades a few weeks back. ‘Ah, so it is! Why, the wh-whole back end of the universe is actually in your room!’ she squeaked, ‘Amazing!’

‘Err no, the universe is all out there,’ he pointed to the blue skies that had returned from behind the dark clouds.

‘Ooooh show me please!!’

‘Ok then, climb on!’ he put his paw on the ground in front of her so she could scramble up to his shoulder. Her tiny little form quivered with delight as she eyed all the wonders of this mini universe and that beyond the window. It sent a whirlwind of possibility swirling so fast through her mind she had to sit down to stop from falling.

‘Could we, maybe, go out there? Is it safe?’

‘Well, that depends on your mother!’ Bertie laughed raising an eyebrow.

‘Oh, what do you mean?’ her eyes were wide like saucers.

‘Well, every time I go out the play she gets angry at me for getting dirty.’

‘Yeah, I know what you mean!’ Grevillea considered her dusty paws thinking of the hiding that was awaiting her at home.

‘Is that what you were yelling about before?’

‘Yes! She’s always telling us to stay inside where it’s safe and clean. There!!! Inside that… that… wall!!! It goes forever up-ways and for-never sideways. It’s so B-BORING I just want to go out and explore!’

‘Hmmm I’ve got an idea!’

‘Oooh w-w-what?’

‘How about I take you out there? You’ll be safe there on my shoulder. No cats or rats will dare come near, and the birds know me so they won’t try to get you either!’

‘Ah that would be incredible let’s go!!’ her fur was shivering in anticipation, whiskers waving round her face as if testing the wind.

Bertie put on some new overalls, rolling the legs up so they would stay clean. Out on the veranda he brushed the mud off the top of his gumboots before pulling them on so they wouldn’t smear on his pants either. Then, with his new friend perched on his shoulder he explored the garden, showing her all the butterflies and flowers and animals and trees. She’d never met the open air or bare earth before. Nor the sun. Delight filled her little eyes with tears.

‘Oh Bertie, this is beyond anything I could have imagined in my wildest dreams! Thank you so much!’

And after she had gushed and woahed and swooned, and after he had shared and reminisced and laughed, they returned to the house.

‘Bertie!’ Mrs Hatter exclaimed, ‘why I don’t believe it, how on earth did you manage to stay so clean?’

‘Hi ma’am, it was easy! I was taking care of my new friend Grevillea and I didn’t want her to fall off!’ he pointed to the little fur ball on his shoulder.

‘Oh, err, hello dear.’ She said trying to cover her surprise. ‘Well, make yourselves at home then. You have already I suppose… well mind you don’t steal anything from the kitchen or I’m afraid I’ll have to move you on.’ She smiled though her eyes said ‘And you know what THAT means…’

Grevillea contracted a little, ‘yes ma’am, we’ll stay away from your kitchen, I promise.’

‘Very well, nice to meet you.’ She nodded as they headed back down the hall.

Bertie held his paw to the ground so she could crawl back down to her home in his room.

‘So, are you going outside again tomorrow?’ she asked, making her way back to the mouse hole.

‘If you like, sure!’

‘That would be great, thank you Bertie, goodnight!’

‘Oh before you go,’ Mrs Hatters voice entered suddenly, handing Grevillea a small package of food scraps, ‘perhaps you can share this with your family.’ 

‘Ooh you’re t-t-too kind Mrs Hatter thank you!’

She looked at her son with a smile before leaving, ‘You’re welcome. It’s good that Bertie has a friend.’

‘And thank you Grevillea!’ Bertie smiled as she left the wild universe for her little up-ways home. He’d found a way to enjoy the world without creating trouble. By sharing it with a friend.

Written by Tjoni Johansen
Copyright 2018 all rights reserved

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