Open Writing

Morning

Hi! I'm Tommy and I'm nearly two. Mum's taking me to the Ekka today. I don't know what the Ekka is but my older brother and sister have been talking about it all week. I heard Scott say to Nicky, 'How many bags are you getting?' And the answer was, 'Six.'

I've been scratching my head ever since, wondering why she would need six bags. Perhaps she wants to give them to Dad for the six new kittens we found under the house. Last time the cat had kittens Dad put them in bags before he took them away in the car. To the animal refuge, so Mum says.

Later

Here I am in my stroller on the train. It's jammed in the passageway. I look around. All I can see are hairy legs or tattered jeans. I look up. All I can see are hairy armpits and hairs up noses. The doors open and we spill out of the train on to the platform. There seem to be millions of people here.

'Hang on to the stroller, kids,' Mum says. 'You don't want to get lost in this crowd.'

When I look at all the people walking up and down I am glad I have a seat. People are coming towards us and people are walking beside us, behind us and in front of us. Where are they all going? They will be tired at the end of the day.

I look up and see a big wheel going round and round. Something hits the ground beside me. 'Oops,' says Mum, 'someone's been eating strawberries and ice-cream.' I lean over the side of the stroller to look but it's all melted like. I don't think I'll have one if that's what they look like.

Now I see all the hungry clowns with their mouths open moving their heads from side to side. They look like the baby magpies that Mum feeds with mince every day. Why doesn't someone give them something to eat?

'Can I have a go at the clowns?' whines Nicky. 'No,' says Mum and she speeds up the stroller to get past them. 'They're a rip off. You'll never win anything there.' I always thought Mum was a generous person but here she is refusing to share our food with the hungry and on top of that expecting to win something from them! I'll never understand adults. I get my ice-cream and strawberries. Mmmmmm, it's nice and firm so I'll give it a go.

We're heading away from all the noises of the monsters and now we're in with the animals. Poo! And they think my nappy stinks! We come out into the sunlight again and all sit down for a while. There are lots of cows and horses making a big circle. When I go round and round like that I get dizzy. I wonder do they, too? The sun is nice and warm. I'm feeling sleepy. Maybe I'll just have a little nap.

Afternoon

We're back on the train. Mum's yelling at Nicole and Scott to sit still. Well, I think it's Nicole. She's got coloured stuff all over her face and her hair has grown long and changed colour—it's purple! Dad's sitting in the corner snoring. He disappeared some time during the day but he must have found us again. Mum doesn't have her happy face on.

'How much did it cost us for the day?' Mum asks Dad later as we walk home from the station. 'An arm and a leg,' Dad answers.

This perks me up. I look at Dad—he's still got both arms and legs and so do Mum and the other kids. I wonder where he got the spare ones from for us to have the day out?

I'm glad we're nearly home. I've got ice-cream stains on my overalls and my face is all sticky from the fairy floss and I'm not even going to mention what's in my nappy. If this is the Ekka I'm glad it doesn't happen often.

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Ekka - The Brisbane Exhibition

© Pat Cannard

Patricia writes for Bonzer! magazine. Please visit www.bonzer.org.au