Once we'd arrived home, even before I could make coffee, Byron rummaged around in his suitcase and produced a small cardboard box, which he handed to Wilson.
'It's just a little something I found,' he said, shyly. 'I thought maybe you'd like it for the Museum?'
Wilson opened the box and withdrew a small, painted sign bearing the word 'M_SEUM' in heavily flaking paint.
'Bro, that's Brilliant!' Wilson exclaimed as he examined it, 'It will be the oldest thing in the museum! Is it Stone Age?'
'I think it's Wood Age,' B replied proudly.
I could tell that little Byron was very pleased with how well his gift had been received.
Wilson hurried off to show it to the rest of the family…
In many ways, Wilson leads a sheltered life.
If he needs to go anywhere, for example, he has only to ask and I'll drive him there in the car.
His brother Byron is, perforce, more confident in doing things by himself – particularly in his use of Public Transport.
Early this morning we drove round to the village Bus Station to collect Byron when he arrived on the bus from the Zoo.
I helped him off with his suitcase, then he and Wilson hugged and performed the paw-slapping and chanting ritual they've invented.
Once their greetings were completed I loaded B's case into the car and we drove home for lunch, and to catch up on each other's news.
Some of Wilson's friends have mentioned that they couldn't quite read his writing – so here's a clearer image of his notebook and the list of books he is about to re-write*.
_____
*Plagiarise mercilessly
Wilson is researching a few more book ideas…
His brother Byron will be arriving Friday, so I hope he chooses something short that he can realistically finish in two days – Jonathan Livingstone Ant, perhaps – rather than the epic Moby-Ant.
Or the 12-volume A Dance To The Music Of Ants…
Sporting events take a heavy toll on Wilson… or rather, what he drinks during sporting events takes a heavy toll.
But once his headache started to subside, he mentioned that he'd struck up a friendship with a 'well pretty' assistant at the book shop during his Celebrity Book Signing Event.
During slack times she showed him around the Fiction section, and he says that she's given him 'loads of totes brilliant new ideas' for books he could re-write*.
Top of his list are:
A Tale of Two Ants
The Great Antsby
The Anteater in the Rye
The Thirty-Nine Ants, and
Tinker Tailor Soldier Ant
That lot should keep him busy for a little while…
__________
*Plagiarise
Wilson was pretty much done in by the time we returned from his Celebrity Book Signing event yesterday, and went straight to bed in the tumble dryer.
He was a little disappointed that Brighton was knocked out of the FA Cup yesterday (although he knew they were doomed once he learned Jesus was playing for Manchester City – clearly you can't buck Divine Intervention).
Football really isn't his sport, so this morning he rose late and relaxed in front of the tv, sipping Limoncello-and-Gin Cocktails with ants while he waited for the 165th University Boat Race.
Since the men's race didn't start until 3:10, and he'd been drinking since breakfast time, I was surprised he could even remember the names of the teams by the time the Coxs' arms went down…
W is a keen Oxford supporter, and although he was a bit dismayed when Cambridge took a convincing early lead he carried on shouting, 'Come on Oxford! Come on Oxford!'
By Chiswick Reach he was beginning to acknowledge that Cambridge were 'very good…' and by Barnes Bridge he had segued seamlessly into supporting the Light Blues…
When the race was finally over, and Oxford's appeal had been dismissed, he announced that he was 'Totes drained!' and retired to his tumble dryer to sleep off the day's excitement.
