But Meemaw. Meemaw swooped picked me up.
Come on, we’ll find him.
I heared the bathroom door be shut. She putted me down.
Danny Danny Danny.
Meemaw words in my ear very close.
We’re going to find Spiney now, Danny. We’re going to find him.
I nodded. Opened my eyes. My eyes wouldn’t look well. All wet in the room because of crying. But Meemaw looking Meemaw looking.
Ta-da!
Meemaw lifted up the hands towel where on top of the toilet and Spiney my Spiney underneath! I holded him tight. Tight on my body. His sail on me on me safe and real. Crying came with noise.
Meemaw lifted me and Spiney on her lap.
It’s okay, love. You’ve found him now. You’ve found him.
I had. Meemaw wiped my face of a foldy piece of toilet roll. Holded it at my nose.
Blow!
I did.
Come on, sweetheart. Let’s go back in the other room.
No, Meemaw! Stay.
I tighted my legs round Meemaw.
We can’t sit in here, love. It’s rude when we’ve got a guest.
Meemaw tried putting me down but I wouldn’t.
Come on then.
Meemaw carried me and we went to the other room.
Karen had her feet on Meemaw’s chair. She looked at us. Me and Meemaw together.
Oh, was it that thing he was panicking about? I trod on it in the night. Scared the shit out of me!
Meemaw’s voice was gently gently.
You know, that’s a lovely offer about the laptop, K. Can we maybe do it next Sunday though? I think Danny’s a bit washed out and I might just put him back to bed for a few hours.
Karen getted straight up quick.
Yeah of course, of course, yeah, whatever.
She went and getted her trainers from by the door. She pulled the laces very tight. I saw the one that getted the Coke on it. It was all brown now not softy. Rough and not a pair of the other one. A trainer gone damaged in a war.
Meemaw putted me down. She went by Karen. She touched her shoulder Karen standed up quick.
K, I…
What?
Well, I just…
Karen taked her hoody from the Meemaw peg. She getted the sleeping bag and puffy mattress rolled up in the corner of our room.
Karen slippy snicked the lock to open but her arms all full and difficult. The door went back to shut. Meemaw did it. Holded it open. She touched Karen’s arm more and more.
See you soon, sweetheart, yeah?
Karen went sideways out the door like being a crab.
See ya.
Meemaw closed the door.
Meemaw standed still by the closed door. Closed eyes. Meemaw was white first then each moment sinked greyer greyer. Eyes stayed closed. Still as still. A Meemaw statue.
Meemaw!
I runned across the room putted my face in the Meemaw tummy breathed in rightness and smell. I holded tight as tight. Her arms moved. Meemaw stroking my hair. Inside the Meemaw tummy was gurgle of eggs getting digested.
Meemaw can we have a pj day?
Meemaw didn’t say. Long time just stroke and stroke.
Meemaw?
Danny, I’m already up. Come on, let’s sort the bed out.
When the bed was folded away Meemaw went to still again. Meemaw’s hand on the back of the sofa lying. She rubbed the sofa like it was a feeling thing. She closed her eyes again. Two of silent tears came out went fast down her face.
What’s the matter Meemaw?
Oh it’s nothing, Danny. I’m just being a fool.
Meemaw you’re not being a fool. You are being the cleverest Meemaw in the world.
Meemaw did a smile even though two more tears Meemaw wiped with fingers.
Righty-ho then. Let’s get you dressed.
It was a careful thing to get my t-shirt on my bumped head. Meemaw stretched the neck wide as a mouth of giganotosaurus.
Gently does it.
I stretchled out my arms.
Now, you need to do something quiet, love. What’s it to be? More drawing?
Please Meemaw can I have the Play-Doh please?
Very often times it is no to Play-Doh because it is a potential hazard with the carpet tiles remember Danny. I do remember.
I remember of this was the new flat and I dropped a pinky pink bit standed on it squooge. Meemaw lied a long time on the floor picky picking with a pin. But you can sometimes see of it when it’s sunny on the floor. Today Meemaw looked at the floor did a sigh.
What the hell. I don’t suppose we’ll get the deposit back anyway.
What the hell meaned yes. Meemaw getted the Play-Doh down from the high up cupboard.
I maked a multi-colour nest for Spiney pink and orange. I maked him lots of eggs for his babies to come. Meemaw curled all up in the chair reading. Still grey but whiter.
I tried to make a tiny one of Spiney to have hatched out of a egg. I tried but always too strange and lumpy. Head too big not four of legs.
So I maked Spiney poos. Sausages of Spiney poos. I splatted them on the table with my flat hand. Good. Soft. Warm. I maked them all again. Splatted again.
All the time was drippy tap and Meemaw pages turning. Sometimes I said words to Spiney. I rubbed a splatted poo. On the table shiny smooth. I maked a noise of rubbing. It was better in our flat then.
Sudden a buzz of Meemaw’s phone. Another buzz another one. Meemaw putted down her book picked up the phone. Meemaw reading messages all pink pouring in her.
Meemaw pinker pinker laughing. Meemaw’s finger dancing of replies. Karen was in Meemaw’s phone making pink and laughing.
I rolled again. Splatted each and every poo. Hard smack. Hard.
Go gently, Danny.
Not looking up. Not looking at Danny just shining phone of Karen inside.
I rolled them up again the poos. Meemaw more and more of laughs. I getted the biggest poo throwed it down on the floor jumped off my chair. Stamped on it. Stamped poo down flat on the hairy carpet tile.
Danny!
Meemaw putted her phone down. She came standed in front of me all the light of the window gone. Shadow Meemaw.
What are you doing?
I went fast sideways getted another poo from the table stamped it down.
That’s enough!
She reaching out I pushed Meemaw’s hands hard. A great roar the roar of the allosaur bursted out.
RAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!
All up up inside of me was storms was fury was fire bombs going boom in my mouth. All coming out was scream to burn of Meemaw. All out of me was monsters slam slam feet of great destruction. Of cracks and broken. All out was smash of windows crack and crack of shelf and bones of a man of a great man a monster. Bones of a great huge beast of capture. All of me was clouds underneaths when they come by the hill on the bus in the big sky. All the light to yellow grey power. The power of it. The crack crack of it. That. I Danny to rip the hill with my teeth. Bite out the chalky insides. Spit spit it down. All raining of white rain far in the sea. That that.
Then a surprise of words falling out.
I hate that bloody Karen! I hate that bloody Karen! She is a horrible horrible poo! She is not to come here to this flat and sleep in the bed and make a disgusting flat egg!
I picked up all every bit of Play-Doh throwed it down on the floor. Rain of poos.
She is not to come here to this flat! I forbid it!
I started round the floor stamp stamp all the poos squashed. But Meemaw moved swift and strong. Meemaw lifted me up round my middle. I kick kicked my legs.
No! No! No!
Twisty all my t-shirt.
RAAAAAAR! No! Na… Meem…
Pushing in Meemaw’s neck. Meemaw taked me in the bathroom putted me down closed the door with her back. Standed there.
I runned hard at Meemaw push pushed fists in her squashy soft.
I hate you Meemaw! I hate you! I hate you!
Then crying crying. I hated all the all of it. My words the day. All all of it.
Meemaw holded my wrists pushed. I crumpled down on the floor kicking thud thud on the black side of the bath. Meemaw crouched down catched my feet holded them hard.
You can stop now. You can stop now. You can stop now.
I feeled the warm the strong of the Meemaw hands on my feet. I stopped kicking.
Meemaw’s face twisted very sad and crying. Crying crying me too. I covered my face. A long time I was covered my face and crying there. Meemaw sitted beside me. Meemaw cried a long time too.
CHAPTER NINE
At the library was thickness of quiet.
I have to get some stuff done on the computer, Danny.
I sitted at the shiny red top table. A big splash of silver sunshine on it.
I looked out the window. The daffodils gone to dry curly brown. But red tulips had comed. Cups. Shiny as Play-Doh rubbed smooth don’t think about that Danny.
A man came picking up litter. A grabby thing claw of a velociraptor for little sharp man. Orange coat dirty of black by the cuff his pole his claw sticking out.
Orange man picked up a packet Monster Munch. I was hungry of them. I had them on one day Meemaw and me at the agent. Waiting quietly to be good. Signing of Meemaw her name and her name. Sticky zing of Monster Munch so good.
No Jane at the library today but a library man. Man as tall as a giant his head by the buzzy light. Pushing a trolley close by me. He stopped.
Hello.
I said hello mind words today. Today a quiet day.
Meemaw leaning looking in the computer. Tappy type very fast. Clicking clicking. Meemaw doing the forms the applications. Obligations.
Outside man went away with his rubbish wheely and broom. I thinked again of Monster Munch. Melty dust and crunch.
I sended a wish of Meemaw to be finished to be all done Danny let’s go. I wanted the park. Run run fast. Go in the sand with Spiney.
A quiet day but no room in my head for reading words. No room for words. My legs had a ache. I standed up. Meemaw still tappy type clicking. Click click fingers fast. Rattle the keyboard.
All around books. I didn’t want them today.
In a book of me and Meemaw it would be lots of stories. Chapter stories like Christmas which is also Meemaw’s birthday. Like the day we went to Mick who is my grandad. The day of coming to the now flat from the old flat with the zippy laundry bags. The day Meemaw throwed a pancake on our ceiling. All stories I would put in a book. One of Karen just one then the end of it. Karen not in any more. Not any more.
I went to Meemaw standed close. Meemaw still click tut on the computer. It was boxes and next. Meemaw knowed in my head what I was wanting.
Almost done, Danny. I just have to…
Click again. I sitted on the floor by the Meemaw feet. Meemaw’s velvety coat hanging down from the body of Meemaw. Curtains.
I maked Spiney put his head in the pocket. He telled me very dark Danny very dark. Then I did taking things out. Meemaw’s tobacco. A tissue a little bit of crusty snot yellow on it. I looked close. Keys for dangle jingle. Meemaw’s phone.
I holded Meemaw’s phone tried to unlock it. From up above Meemaw’s voice.
I’ve changed the code, Danny, so good luck with that.
I tried numbers numbers sometimes it said wait thirty seconds try again. It counted then backwards to blast off. I watched it the phone keeping me out.
Right. Come on then. Time to go.
Still no words today. A quiet day.
***
It was cold in the park. The sun gone. Bubble clouds coming. Grey dark on their underneaths.
Just a quick play, Dan, it’s going to tip it down!
I runned down the slope letted my arms fly back. Thonka thonka my feet on the grass. No one else.
No one in the park I jumped in the sandpit. Sand was dotty all over of rain in last night. I maked seventeen footprints.
I finded all bits of twig and three lolly sticks. Maked a fort for Spiney. A fort from a wild west. A cowboy thing of dinosaurs rised up from the ground. Spiney to be sheriff and a star badge on him.
Then big rain drops falled down plonk plonk. Down from the grey underneaths of the clouds. I liked it tonk on my head one and the next one. The air huff of wind.
Meemaw came. She holded out my coat. I tried to not see Meemaw.
Danny! Come on! Coat!
I letted her. Even the hood. Meemaw tighted the hood. Slidy hood things are fiddly but hood is not good floppy. Horrible floppy on my cheeks. I can’t see and it buffs on me. So we tight it up.
On the way home was Aldi. It was bread beans apples.
Meemaw can it be Monster Munch or like Monster Munch?
Not today.
She letted me choose biscuits. I finded ones stuck-on yellow.
Outside because of I had been patient I had just one. I eated it sideways. Creamy inside. Scrape scraped with my teeth it was good.
A window envelope was on the mat Meemaw putted it behind the kettle with the other ones. Then Meemaw maked me beans on toast. She had just toast so more beans for me tomorrow.
Meemaw eated her toast one two three four squares like we have. Like is best. She opened the window envelopes. Meemaw was yellow brown green and bright of it.
I ate all my beans except the last one for Spiney. All my toast even crusts.
Meemaw can I have a apple?
Meemaw did a small smile even in the bad colours.
Cut up?
I did a nod of yes.
Meemaw cutted up the apple taked out all the corey bits not speaking. Because of not okay. Not okay and yellow brown green.
Meemaw putted apple on a little plate. All slices maked into a fan. I love it the fan.
There you go, sunshine.
Stroke on my hair.
Meemaw went to her coat on the Meemaw peg. She went in the pocket scrabbling. She went in the other pocket. She went in the bag taked everything out. I was crunch crunch of slicey apple. Meemaw looked at me.
Danny, did you take my tobacco out of my pocket?
No Meemaw.
Sweety juice crunch crunch.
Danny, you were in my pockets in the library, weren’t you?
I feeled it the slidey feeling of things falled over. I knowed I had lost Meemaw’s tobacco. Meemaw knowed it too. Meemaw turned and did whispery swears at the wall.
I didn’t lose it of purpose Meemaw.
I know.
I putted my plates in the sink sitted down with my stegosaur comic to be a good quiet boy. My comic nearly done. One more disaster comes a river washes one stegosaur away. A baby lost. Then it is the end.
Meemaw maked a cup of tea sitted by me on her phone. She did a long message. I knowed it was talking to Karen. At the top it said her.
Meemaw putted her phone down plonk on the table then. Meemaw maked another straightaway cup of tea.
Meemaw can I have another stuck-on biscuit?
Meemaw gived it but no words.
It was the end in my comic. A brilliant ending.
Done!
Can I look?
I telled Meemaw all the story of it and the brilliant ending.
Then Meemaw he is bited. Bited here see? A radioactive ant. He is come to Super Stegosaur to fly. And a costume see Meemaw?
Wow!
But the baby one is drowned dead Meemaw. This is a great sadness.
Meemaw’s eyes all the time slided sideways on her phone. Meemaw’s phone was lied still next to the window envelopes. Meemaw’s eyes sliding on it again again.
Sudden Meemaw maked me jump.
Bloody hell! Let’s just go back!
What?
Let’s go back to the library and see if someone handed it in.
We never went to the library again again. Not on one day two times. It was confusion and wrong.
Outside was raining swish swish swish of cars and home now.
No.
Meemaw did
a sigh.
You can splash, Dan.
I looked at Meemaw her hair hanged down. She was doing a gentle look at me to make me change to yes. To spell me.
You can splash every puddle if you want. On the way back, once I’ve got my tobacco, we can go twice round the block and you can get as wet as you want.
Straight fast it came out of me.
Yes!
Meemaw had spelled it well.
My welly boots are gone too small and squeezy of toes but I didn’t say of it. Meemaw pushed in my feet. Squeeze squeeze. But I liked it then.
Meemaw doesn’t have welly boots. No hood even on her velvety coat.
We went outside. The rain went hard on my eyes. I closed them. Meemaw leaded me along. All was swish sounds. Coldness in the air.
Danny! Open your eyes, love, and look at this!
I looked. A mighty puddle all shiver and lights. Upside down buildings. The traffic lights floated in.
Wow! Stay back, Danny, stay back! Blimey, look at that!
Meemaw’s bad colours all gone. Meemaw filled of bright green sweeties colour. Of sunshine lime cordial we had one day very strong.
All spikles of wet hair was Meemaw. Shiny eyes. Shine and shine.
A car came speedy fast in the puddle. Up, up! It maked a wave on us. Water dripping down.
Woo! Jesus Christ!
Meemaw was dancey back away holding my hand. Meemaw’s jeans all wet. The bottom of her coat wet. Meemaw laughing.
Blimey oh riley, Dan, it’s a tsunami!
We runned across hands tight together and it was still red man. Then walk and walk. Rain drippy on.
The library door was shut. Meemaw pulled but stuck shut.
Oh Christ, you’re kidding me!
Meemaw pulled again.
I went by the tulips. All the red tulips runned of silver on them. The drainpipes runned water into the square drains of holes. I putted my welly foot under.
You’re bloody kidding me!
Meemaw standed her head on the door. Whoosh and whoosh water over my foot. My foot squeezysqueezed inside red welly boot.
It’s bloody closed, Dan!
Inside the library was yellow. I standed in the muddy of the flowers putted my nose on the window wetness. The glass all wetness and cold. The books on the shelves inside but no people. Warmness quiet no people.
Tale of a Tooth Page 8
