INfusion 47 ebook - Summer 2012 - NMIT

INfusion 47
‘Don’t worry. You look worried.’ Franco waved his hand. ‘You leave it
alone, it’ll leave you alone. No problemo.’
‘But ... have you seen how big it is? You want me to just let it keep
growing?’
Franco shrugged. ‘It grows, it shrinks. It does what it wants. Leaf it alone.’
He looked at me with his serious dark eyes, then couldn’t help himself and let
out a raucous laugh. ‘Leaf it alone!’
I had to smile. ‘Okay. Thanks, Franco.’
‘You’re welcome, my friend.’ He was gone again.
The plant looked back to normal as I tiptoed back up the stairs into the
house.
Mum came into the bathroom just as I was finishing shaving my head.
What had been left of my hair looked like a mullet. All my hard work in growing
my hair had gone to waste.
Mum raised her eyebrows. ‘Finally having a haircut?’
‘Yeah.’
Mum grinned. ‘Gardening and cutting your hair in the one day? Who are
you and what have you done with my son?’ She laughed at her pathetic joke.
‘Ha ha, Mum.’ I put my razor away and brushed my hand over my fuzzy
head.
‘Thanks for getting rid of the plant,’ Mum said, leaning on the
doorframe.
‘Well...’ I began. ‘It’s not actually gone.’
She gave me a funny look. ‘What do you mean? Isn’t that what you’ve
been out there doing?’
‘I tried to cut it, but—’
Mum didn’t let me finish. She snapped. ‘Brendan, I give you one simple
task to do, and you can’t even do that.’
‘Mum—’
‘I don’t want to hear it.’ She stormed out. A moment later I heard the
back door slam.
I started to follow her, but then thought better of it. Instead, I hurried to
my bedroom, pulled back the curtains just enough to peep out of, and waited
for the show to begin.
88
With 5% Juice
Emma McVinish