Old Soldier Mum had confided that all these men were Old Soldiers She lowered her voice when she told me She had a fondness for them I didn’t understand I often wondered why Old Soldiers were so special All of these men were missing arms or legs Dad was the only one who was all there I tried not to look directly at any of them I knew it was rude to stare Once I sat puzzling over a pair of wooden crutches for ages trying to imagine what it would be like being lopsided Could I get by with only one of my monkey legs or arms That’s what I called them They weren’t hairy but they were long and skinny The Old Soldier rocked back on his pillow and I sneaked a quick glance at Dad He was standing in his usual spot by the side of his bed He never came forward to greet us or called out yet we belonged to him His dressing-gown hung so loosely around his lanky body that he reminded me of the wire coat-hangers in our hall cupboard Just a frame that was Dad The heart had gone out of him years ago Once Mum finished having a little talk and joke with the men we moved over to Dad’s bed and then out onto the hospital verandah The verandahs were the nicest place to sit there were tables and chairs and you could look over the garden Unfortunately it took only a few minutes for the chairs to become uncomfortable They were iron-framed and tacked onto the seat and across the back were single jarrah slats painted all colours of the rainbow When I was really bored I entertained myself by mentally rearranging the 9
colours so that they harmonised As Mum and Dad talked I sniffed the air It was a clear blue spring day I could smell the damp grass and feel the coolness of the breeze It was such an optimisti cally beautiful day I felt like crying Spring was always an emotional experience for me It was for Nan too Only yesterday she’d awakened me early to view her latest discovery I had been in a deep sleep but somehow her voice penetrated my dreams Sally wake up Even as I dreamt I wondered where that voice was coming from Faint yet persistent like the glow of a torch on a misty night I didn’t want to wake up I burrowed deeper under the mound of coats and blankets piled on top of me In my dream they were heavy and lacking in warmth I wrapped my hands around my feet in an attempt to warm them Sometimes I thought coldness and thinness went together because I was both Every night I’d call out Mum I’m cold And then to speed her up Mum I’m freezing Sally you can’t possibly be It was often her third trip to my bedside She’d lift up the coat I’d pulled over my head and say If I put any more on you you’ll suffocate The others don’t want all these coats on them I shared a bed with my brother Billy and my sister Jill They never felt the cold I’d crane my head over the moulting fox-fur collar that trimmed one of the coats and retort I’d rather suffocate than freeze Nan had only to add It’s a terrible thing to be cold 10
Glad for Mum to acquiesce and pull out the older heavier coats hanging in the hall cupboard Now sitting on the hospital verandah I smiled as I remembered the way Nan had rocked my sleepy body back and forth to wake me up I finally came up for air and murmured dopily What is it It’s so early Nan do ya have to wake me so early Ssh you’ll wake the others Don’t you remember I said I’d wake you early so you could hear the bullfrog again and the bird The bullfrog and the bird how could I have forgotten For the whole week Dad had been in hospital she’d talked of nothing else With sudden decision I leapt from my bed and shivered my body into an old red jumper Then barefoot I followed Nan out onto the back verandah Sit still on the steps she told me And be very quiet I was used to such warnings I knew you never heard anything special unless you were very quiet I pulled my hands up inside my sleeves wrapped my arms around my legs and waited The early morning was Nan’s favourite time when she always made some new discovery in the garden A fat bobtail goanna snake tracks crickets with unusual feelers myriads of creatures who had for their own unique reasons chosen our particular yard to reside in I wanted spring to last forever but it never did Summer would come soon and the grass would yellow even the carefully nurtured hospital grass wouldn’t look as green And the giant nasturtiums that crowded along 11
our side fence and under our lemon tree would disappear I wouldn’t hunt for fairies anymore and Nan wouldn’t wake me so early or so often I’d heard the bullfrog yesterday it was one of Nan’s favourite creatures She dug up a smaller motley brown frog as well and after I inspected it she buried it back safe in the earth I shivered in the early morning breeze I expected the bullfrog to be out again this morning I gazed at the patch of dark earth where I’d last seen him He’ll come out any minute I thought I felt excited This morning I was waiting for the birdcall Nan called it her special bird Nobody had heard it but her This morning I was going to hear it too Broak Broak The noise startled me I smiled That was the old bullfrog telling us he was broke again I looked up at the sky a cool hazy blue with the promise of coming warmth Still no bird I squirmed impatiently Nan poked her stick in the dirt and said It’ll be here soon She spoke with certainty Suddenly the yard filled with a high trilling sound My eyes searched the trees I couldn’t see that bird but his call was there The music stopped as abruptly as it had begun Nan smiled at me Did you hear him Did you hear the bird call I heard him Nan I whispered in awe What a magical moment it had been I sighed I was with Dad now there was no room for magic in hospitals I peered at Mum and Dad They both seemed nervous I 12
