Norman stretched out on his hammock, looked out through the hibiscus leaves that shaded his front verandah and called out to Henry.
I say Henry, have you got a minute. There was no reply
I say Henry are you there, it is me Norman, I need to talk to you.
Henry walked onto the verandah of Normans house. It was a small building resting between the fork on the branch of the hibiscus shrub which was growing next to a banana tree in the garden surrounded by palm trees.
Norman had been there three years now. He was pleased to be back in a rural setting, the appartment living at Noosa did not suit him at all.
You see Norman is a caterpillar and he liked to have room to wander about.
On the day he was born he was given some extrordinary powers which allowed him to let a special caterpillar dust cover those that he came in contact with. It was this dust that reduced the person or people around him to shrink in size and also gave them the ability to communicate with him.
He had given this magic to his dear friend Cherie a little girl who he met when she was six years of age.
He always remembered her kindness the day he climbed up her bedroon wall having escaped from the near death situation when he crossed her back lawn while the lawn was getting mowed.
Cherie had let him stay in her jewellery box the day she found him and it was then that he discovered that the powers that his mother gave him could be showered over those that he wanted to comunicate with.
He stayed with Cherie for a few years before his friend Henry took him to Fiji and then Australia with them.
Over this time Norman meet lots of interesting people and he has so many stories to tell.
So Norman what is it you want to talk to me about asked Henry.
Its about the bees, said Norman.
Bees, said Henry looking a little preplexed, bees? You mean your friend Super Bee from Forest Glenn honey factory.
No, said Norman, I am worried about the bees.
I do not see to many around these days. There use to be so many and with the mango trees starting to flower they are just not about.
I know said Henry, it is very worrying. I did hear the other night that in China they are pollinating the plants by hand now.
Really said Norman, by hand.
Well you see Norman, said Henry, the bees preform a very important part in the food chain.
If there are no bees there will not be too much food about. The bees are very important part of the ecosystem.
They like all species have a cycle and it does look like that the cycle is here for the bees.
Cycle, said Norman what do you mean. Well you could say it is like the tide coming in and out. it is like the currency markets, the currency market goes up and down depending on the demand and what is happening in the world financial markets. Except that this time the bees are also dying off with desease as well.
Well ,said Norman I guess I will have to help out.
How do you figure you can help, said Henry.
Henry, look at me, look at me, how many legs have I got.
Lots, said Henry.
Well instead of us eating all the leaves we could just crawl all over the flowers and transfer the pollen from one flower to the next by using our legs.
Norman you are a acharacter said Henry, I got to dash, I need to check out whats happeing in the currency markets.