silent bee english honeycomb

COPYRIGHT © 2002RICHARD O’BRIEN

WWW.THESILENTBEE.COM

The Day Dad went Plumbing with a Silent Bee!




It all began one night at the dinner table. Mum, Dad, Susan and Clementine were sitting around the table finishing off a lamb curry made from the roast they had when grandma last visited.

The girls were as lively as ever, Susan busy with her homework and Clementine with her drawings.

Mum and Dad both looked a bit tired after a hard days work, Mum had what was left of her half cup of milky tea and Dad had his usual cold sarsaparilla as they helped themselves to the bowl of fresh fruit for dessert.




Susan had some lists of words she was studying for a spelling bee the next day.

“Farm – Farmer” “Teach – Teacher” Susan read aloud. Mum reached over to the bowl and took a plum.

“Plum”, she said pointing and smiling. “Plumber” she gestured to Dad. Susan and Clementine looked at each other a bit confused, they both knew Dad was famous for his underfloors and pipes, but plums ? “I’m only joking!” said Mum. “Dad goes plumbing with a silent b”.




Clementine looked more confused, “Dad goes “pluming” with a silent bee”, she wondered …

“Anyway, you girls may leave the table.” “And clean your teeth and climb into bed!

“School tomorrow!”

Clementine tossed and turned in her sleep; “Dad goes “pluming” with a silent bee”. …




*****************

Buzzzzzzzzzzz!

Dad’s alarm went off well before the sun was up, it was dark and cold as Dad put on his work overalls. You could see the frost on his breath and his face was numb.



“And don’t forget to comb your hair!” mumbled Mum as she rolled over.




Dad grabbed his lunch, hopped in the kombi ute and drove down the freeway off to work.

He drove through the tunnels, past the city, then, as the sun was climbing slowly over the hills, at an intersection in Woodville, Dad wound down the window to let in his workmate, Bertie the Silent Bee.

“Morning Bertie!” Dad greeted the bee.

But Bertie said nothing, he just nodded and sat down with what appeared to be his lunch, on the seat next to Dad. Bertie proceeded to part his hair neatly, then put his honeycomb back in his top pocket.




“Chilly isn’t it Bertie!” said Dad. And Bertie just nodded again.

“Another working day”, sighed Dad, “Working from womb to tomb” he said as he continued to drive to Port Adelaide.




womb




tomb




Dad and Bertie arrived at the work-site with their gear and began digging the underfloor. Digging and digging and digging. The sun rose gradually and Dad and Bertie continued digging.

“Phew, every limb in my body is aching” said Dad.




And Bertie just nodded.




They laid the pipes ready for the concretors and were feeling very satisfied with their work when along came a man in a suit and thanked them:

“Great! That’s great” said the man. “I owe you a debt of gratitude.”

“No,” said Dad firmly, “you owe me eight hundred dollars!”

“Hmm …y-yes…of course…of course, that too”, said the man, less enthusiastically.




No sooner had Dad and Bertie finished that job than they were going on to the next. They were tired, but there was work to be done and the sun was climbing higher and higher in the sky.

But when they got to the next work-site, well, you should have seen it!

Mess everywhere! Dad was most unimpressed!

“This place looks like a bomb hit it!” he said indignantly. And in a funny sort of way, he sounded just like Mum.




The pair worked harder and harder and the sun climbed higher and higher. They were both tired and hungry and hadn’t yet had a break for lunch.

Finally, Bertie the Silent Bee flew up to Dad’s ear and Dad heard Bertie’s empty stomach give a tremendous GROANNNNN!




“Oh, hungry are we?” asked Dad. “I suppose that was a subtle hint! Subtlety was never your strong point Bertie.” said Dad.




The workmates made their way to the ute to get their lunches and were joking and carrying on as they made their way back to find somewhere to sit down for lunch.

“What have you got for lunch? asked Dad. “A ham sandwich?”




It was actually. At least part thereof. A crumb for lunch had our Bertie.




Dad continued joking as he fiddled with his lunch.

“I feel like Jack Horner….I put in my thumb and pulled out a plum.” said Dad.




He wasn’t paying attention as he went to sit down – and he sat - it was entirely accidental - right on top of his poor friend Bertie the Silent Bee!




“YEOWWW”!Yelled Dad.




Bertie the Silent Bee had stung him – right on his -(…)um, I can’t say where!




“YEOWWW! YEOWWW! YEOWWW!”

yelled Dad.




Bertie too was looking poorly, a little squashed and without his sting. Then, out of nowhere came the police! The younger policeman ran past Dad and grabbed Bertie the Silent Bee by the wings!




“Got Him! Here’s the culprit!” he yelled.

“Well, Well, who have we here then?” interrogated the older, fatter policeman.




But Bertie did not answer.

“What? Playing dumb! That’s always a sign of guilt! Declared the policeman.




“No, no, no!” cried Dad.

“His name’s Bertie – but it’s not his fault…..”




“Well-well-well, ‘Ertie, you’re under arrest!”

You will be tried for … in a court of law, where it shall be proven, beyond reasonable doubt, you ….”




Dad was dumbstruck.




“Inspector?” reminded the younger policeman…




“Bertie the Bee, you have the right to remain silent, everything you say can and will be used against you…”




“No, no, no!” cried Dad.




“No, no, Nooooo!” cried Clementine.




“Clementine. Wake up Clementine, you’re having a nightmare….”

Mum and Dad were at Clementine’s bedside. Susan, amazingly enough, was still asleep.




“B-B-B- Bertie..” sobbed Clementine.

“It was just a dream, sweetheart” consoled

Mum.

“Just a dream” reassured Dad.




So Clementine drew in a big breath and collected her thoughts. She didn’t need to worry about Bertie the Silent Bee’s wrongful arrest…It was just a dream. Dad was already getting ready for work, plumbing with a silent b, and in a short while, after a bit more sleep, she’d getting ready for school…. Later, after a bit more sleep.




And in the morning, maybe she’d tell Susan

about the dream she just had,

The Day Dad Went Plumbing with a Silent Bee.

The End




ALL SILENT BEE ILLUSTRATIONS © 2009 STEPHEN LANG:

[email protected] Richard: [email protected]

+61 438 074 081 SKYPE richard.o.brien9

silent bee english honeycomb

Documents

day dad

silent bee

asked dad

sighed dad

sleep dad

dad goesplumbing

spelling bee

working day