Little Shea's Backyard Adventures (5)

They passed the high school, and flew further on. Sometimes, Shea recognised where they were, sometimes he did not. He saw a few restaurants at which he thought he had eaten. He was very excited when he saw the ice-cream place he liked. He pointed it out to Ming Ming, and described to him all the flavors offered there.

"Do you like ice-cream?" Shea asked Ming Ming.

"I don't know. Never tasted it!" answered Ming Ming.

Shea could not believe anyone not having tried ice-cream, "What? You never ate ice-cream?"

"Well, I'm not like you, you know! I don't really have to eat!" explained Ming MIng.

"Don't have to eat? But you ARE alive, aren't you?" asked Ming Ming, his eyes opened wide.

"Yeah...I'm kind of alive, but different from you. I'm a fairy, you know!" Ming Ming answered, scratching his head, hoping Shea would not ask him any more questions.

"O.K.! Shea said, "When I'm bigger, I'll know!"

That was Shea's answer to everything these days. Whatever he could not do, or did not want to do, or could not figure out, he thought he would be able to do so when he was bigger! In his little heart though, he decided he would sneak some Bluebell ice-cream into the yard, and let Ming Ming "have a try" (in Shea's language) one day. Mommy always had some ice-cream in the freezer, and Daddy always said Bluebell ice-cream was the tastiest. So, Ming Ming would have some Bluebell ice-cream, and realise what he had been missing!

Suddenly, the wind became stronger. They flew faster! Shea could taste salt in the air! They were at the beach! He could see tiny surfers riding the waves. There were people on the beach too. The beach umbrellas looked like tiny mushrooms dotting the beach. Shea was afraid of the waves whenever Mommy and Daddy took him to the beach. He liked to build sand-castles on the beach, but did not like to go in the water. Daddy wished Shea would like the water better. He would like to teach him how to surf when he got a little bigger.

"Enough flying for the day?" asked Ming Ming.

Shea was beginning to miss Mommy a little, and said, "Ah-huh...I'm kind of hungry!"

"All right! Hang on tight!" Ming Ming yelled above the sound of the waves and wind.

The leaf carpet suddenly gained speed, and flew back towards the direction of Shea's house. It went so fast the scenery below was just a blur to Shea's little eyes! He felt a little dizzy, and shut his eyes. Then, he felt everything becoming still, and heard Ming Ming saying, "You can step off now!"

It took Shea a while to recognise where he was. He was not used to seeing his backyard from a bug's point of view. Ming Ming took out his feather, and puffed at Shea's face. Shea felt his body stretching, and suddenly, he was his usual size again!

"Run along now!" said Ming Ming.

"Will I see you tomorrow!" asked Shea anxiously.

"Sure! I'll be here!" Ming Ming answered.

Shea remembered his manners and muttered, "Thanks for the fun today!"

Ming Ming smiled, and waved him along.

Shea waved back, and turned towards the door.