Around the Bend: Grass

"Dear," said Mum, "you haven't got a brother."

"I have now," I said. "The lawn gave him to me."

Mum shook her head like she was really sorry for me. I laughed, because I knew the best thing to tell her was the truth. She would never believe that!

"I think you need to see a psychiatrist!" she said.

I didn't see my grass-brother all that day, but he was waiting for me when I came home from school. He still had on my shorts and T-shirt. In the daylight, he looked even greener than he had the night before, as green as an ice-plant.

"Have a good day?" he asked.

"Terrible," I said. "School's the pits."

"I'm glad I don't have to go to it."

"Where have you been all day?"

"With my family, the grass people."

We went inside. Mum stared at Dandy as he followed me through the kitchen.

"Who's your friend?" she asked.

"Dandy!" I said.

"He looks sick."

"He's not," I said. "It's just the color of his skin."

Mum didn't dare say any more. She was very careful about making comments about people who looked different to other people.

I went to my bedroom and threw my bag down, then I grabbed some food from the fridge and went out the back. We were lucky, living where we did. Right on the edge of town. Our house was part of the city, but just over the back fence it was country. Paddocks and trees, and a stream. The perfect place to live.

Dandy followed me over the fence and down to a big willow. It had a rope on it.

"Want to have a go at swinging?" I asked him.

"You go first," he said cautiously.

I took the end of the rope and ran towards the stream. Out and out I swung, till I was miles away from the bank, then I swung back. Dandy tried after me.