"Hi, 421 History. Xanth here..."
"...who ?? say again...oh..OK"
" hey skeets ...."
" WHAT NOW..? Jesus wept X, I'm trying to do my nails.."
" It's this queer speaking guy on the phone - calls himself 'blankwick' - wants a word..."
"Nah - get rid of him. Just another tassie escapee trying to keep out of the asylums. Fat chance..."
"Got it...hey blonkwick - or whatever you call yourself - you musta heard that so.....sorry...you what...? OK..OK.. I'll tell her..."
"skeets..?"
"WHAT NOW..?"
"..this 'blimpwamp' says he's lost his mum and wonders if you could help..?
"..why - what did she die of..?..no - let me guess - she lost her survival tape. you know it - the one that says 'breathe in - breathe out'
Damn - bad way to go.."
"..no..no. She's just missing at this stage.."
"missing what ? Three hundred years of interbreeding - who would miss any of that...? oh..missing in as 'cannot be found' missing. Got it."
" yes..yes. take the usual blood groups and put it out. Keep me informed."
< 24 hours later >
" hi Xanth, any progress...?"
"Yep. Bloods got us a match on the father and we're chasing that down as I speak."
"Father..? we're looking for the Mother or did I miss something..?"
"Nope. We've found the Mother - she's in the RSPCA refuge centre but is denying paternity. What you'd expect from a heeler cross so thats why we need the father.
Problem is there's 150,000 dingo's in this patch of the woods so we may be puting in for some overtime.."
" OK - just get on with it..."
> to be continued
skeeter