Part 2 of my chat with Matius
W – Welcome to the second part of my chat with my good sea turtle friend Matius.
M – Hello!
W – Now last time we spoke, I fear we got off to a rocky start as I made some out-of-order comments about you eating fish and having bad fishy breath.
M – Don’t mention it Widodo.
W – Oh good. After all, you can’t help how you’re made and what you like for breakfast. And lunch and dinner and, hang on, do you eat anything else but fish?
M – Let’s forget about what I eat Widodo, for now.
W – Oh yes. I see. Hmm. Now Matius, you were telling me about a reef even bigger than our Splendid Reef.
M – I’ve never seen it, but my cousins have and it’s very, very large.
W – And you were about to say how you are going to carry me there one day.
M – Ummm. I’m not too sure about that Widodo.
W – Oh?
M – It’s a long, long way away remember?
W – I could take a packed lunch.
M – If you ate fish, you wouldn’t need a packed lunch.
W – Yucky yucky fishies.
M – Let’s forget about the other reef because I want to tell you about something I found lying on the bottom of the ocean next to our reef. Something the human animals put there.
W – They’ve been to our reef?
M – They must have.
W – What did you find Matius?
M – Have you ever looked up in the sky and seen the noisy, shiny machines the human animals sit in?
W – Many times Matius.
M – Well, a friend of mine, knows a dugong, who has met a cassowary who says he’s seen those machines driving on the ground.
W – You know what I think of cassowaries. They can’t be trusted.
M – That’s just because you’ve had a few, umm, bad experiences with them. Nevertheless, this cassowary said the noisy, shiny metal machines were driving along the ground and got faster and faster and noisier and noisier before lifting up into the sky.
W – Incredible.
M- That’s not all Widodo. They must fly underwater too, because I saw one lying on the reef one day. I found it hard to believe my eyes.
W – Was it noisy?
M – Completely silent.
W – Were you able to catch up with it?
M – This is the odd thing. It wasn’t moving at all. It just lay there on the reef. I was able to swim up to it and look inside it.
W – I’ll bet the human pilot was surprised to see you!
M – There was no pilot Widodo. Would you believe there were little fishes swimming around in the cockpit?
W – Quite a mystery Matius. A human flying machine lying on the bottom of the ocean? Whatever for, I wonder?
M – These humans are not easy to understand I’ve concluded. Their ways are not our ways.
W – I would like to hear more about this mysterious flying machine some other time, but now I think it is time for my nap.
M – Ahh. One last thing, if I may, Widodo, just before you go?
W – Yes?
M – I’m a little embarrassed to ask.
W – I see. (Pause). I see.
M – You might think me silly.
W – Maybe, maybe not. Out with it Matius.
M – Have you been getting much fan mail for me? You know, through your very fancy website?
W – Ummm. I’d have to ask Mr Author, but I don’t think so. No.
M – Oh.
W – Look I shouldn’t worry Matius. It will come in time. These are early days for us. You must remember that the children have only read Act 1 of my fabulous adventure so they’ve not really got to know you so much. Which was part of the reason for this interview.
M – Many thanks, Widodo.
W – Besides. Fan mail would only get soggy if you took them home.
M – True enough.
W – So, with that cleared up, thank you Matius for this lovely chat. I’m sure our young readers have enjoyed it.
M – I hope so. Goodbye Widodo. Goodbye readers!
W – Goodbye.