Part three

For a while at least, Pugdeon had resigned himself to the fact that it would take time before his father would vanish from his life forever. It was difficult to adjust to. Like counting down the days to the last but not knowing exactly when that would be, or how it would be. It was an idea that to Pugdeon was too crazy to be true. Nevertheless he was determined to fill as much of his father into those days as he could.

In the weeks and months that followed, every chance he had he was his fathers shadow. Done so partly in awe of how it would be that one day he would simply be gone. But mostly to learn the things his father had to teach him. Eager, wide eyed and no doubt to his fathers annoyance Pugdeon had many and varied questions that from a child of twelve would have seemed strange.

Over breakfast, "Why do you need two plants to grow kiwi fruit?". During lunch, "How many things can you build with liquid nails?". After school, "How do you pollinate a plant yourself?". "Is that why you graft things?". At tea time, "Show me how to check the oil in a car". Just before bed, "If you only grow natives how come you still siphon the bath water?".

Each day Pugdeon thought of more things he should ask his father, wonderful things that he had once watched him do but been too afraid to question at the time. Then as his father grew more tired, Pugdeon would sit and watch his face intently. Just so he would never ever forget it.

Graciously though once Pugdeon's father realised, he sat at the kitchen table ready to teach the best thing he knew how. Scrap paper in front of him they both sat silently as his father folded with precision the most incredible paper plane Pugdeon had ever seen.