SCOUT: "Paddy! Paddy look!"
PADDY: "What is it, Scout?"
SCOUT: "Look Paddy! Spring must be here now! Look! The sun is shining, the sky is blue, and the blossoms are covering the trees. Aren't they pretty?"
PADDY: "Oh yes, Scout! These are beautiful apple blossoms."
SCOUT: "Apple blossoms?"
PADDY: "Yes, Scout."
SCOUT: "But Paddy, there are no apples! Where are the apples? Grumbly tummy Paddy! Grumbly tummy!" *Rubs tummy vigorously.*
PADDY: "Well Scout, this is an ornamental apple blossom tree, or a crabapple tree."
SCOUT: "So Paddy? Where are the apples? I don't mind if they are crabby or grouchy,* *Thinks.* "Although... a crabby apple might not taste so sweet if it is feeling grouchy."
PADDY: "No! No! No, Scout! I don't think you understand. A crabapple tree doesn't have crabby or grouchy apples."
SCOUT: "Oh! Thank goodness!" *Sighs and wipes forehead with paw.* "That's a relief! The apples will taste delicious then. Good! I'm very hungry! Grumbly tummy Paddy! Grumbly tummy!" *Rubs tummy vigorously.*
PADDY: "No! No, Scout! This tree doesn't have any apples!"
SCOUT: "Well Paddy, I don't need you to tell me that! I can see that with my own eyes!" *Rolls eyes and shakes head.* "I was asking you where the apples were. Where are they Paddy?"
PADDY: *Sighs.* "If you would just listen to me, Scout, I'll explain."
SCOUT: "Well of course I'm listening, Paddy." *Looks excitedly at Paddy.* "Where are the apples?"
PADDY: "Scout, there are no apples on this tree, and there never will be."
SCOUT: "What?!?!?" *Shocked.*
PADDY: "This is an ornamental apple blossom tree. It doesn't actually have any apples. It's called an ornamental apple blossom tree because it doesn't actually bear fruit, only apple blossoms. It just looks pretty and ornamental."
SCOUT: "Really Paddy?!?!? No apples?!?!?"
PADDY: "Well yes, Scout. That's what I said."
SCOUT: "Well! Doesn't that just take the cake?" *Thinks.* "Well actually now I come to think of it, it doesn't, because if this is an apple tree that doesn't grow apples, we can't have apple tea cake! Shame! What a naughty fake apple tree!"
PADDY: "Why is the tree naughty, Scout?"
SCOUT: "Because it pretends to be an apple tree!" *Indignant.* "It even calls itself an apple tree, but it isn't an apple tree at all! That's false advertising! It's a fake apple tree! Naughty fake apple tree!"
PADDY: "Well... I don't think it is actually the tree's fault that it is called an ornamental apple blossom tree, Scout."
SCOUT: "Then whose fault is it, Paddy? Is it the owner of this pretty house with the fake apple tree that isn't really an apple tree in the garden? Naughty owner!"
PADDY: "Well no, Scout. It isn't their fault either. Ornamental apple blossom trees have been called that, or crabapple trees for a very, very long time."
SCOUT: "Really Paddy? Longer than you and Daddy have been alive for?"
PADDY: "Oh yes Scout! Much longer."
SCOUT: "Wow! That is ancient! Like when you tell me that the telly used to be black and white back in ye olden days!"
PADDY: "Scout!"
SCOUT: "What?!?!?"
PADDY: "Scout, it's rude to refer to senior people or bears' ages, or that we used to live in the olden days!"
SCOUT: "I didn't actually say you or Daddy were ancient, Paddy. I just said that the time before you were born were ye olden days."
PADDY: *Sighs.* "Well Scout, whether they were olden days or not, these trees have been called ornamental apple blossom trees for a very long time, so there is no-one to blame."
SCOUT: "Oh well. I still think it's false advertising, and the trees should be called fake apple trees!" *Nods emphatically.*
PADDY: "Well, technically Scout, the name of the tree is correct. It's called an ornamental apple blossom tree, and it is bearing lots and lots of lovely blossoms. You even said so yourself, Scout."
SCOUT: "That's true Paddy. However, even if the name of the tree is correct, that still leaves one big problem for me."
PADDY: "And what is that, Scout?"
SCOUT: "All this talk of apples makes me hungry, Paddy! Grumbly tummy Paddy! Grumbly tummy!" *Rubs tummy vigorously.*
Now that spring seems to have finally come to Melbourne after a long, cold and dark winter of endless rainy days, Paddy, Scout and I are taking advantage of the sunny days we do get and are going for walks so that we may all enjoy the sunshine and the beautiful flowers that are starting to show themselves, including these pretty ornamental apple blossoms that were bursting forth from this old tree in the well established garden of an impressive old Edwardian villa in the inner Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy.
My Paddington Bear came to live with me in London when I was two years old (many, many years ago). He was hand made by my Great Aunt and he has a chocolate coloured felt hat, the brim of which had to be pinned up by a safety pin to stop it getting in his eyes. The collar of his mackintosh is made of the same felt. He wears wellington boots made from the same red leather used to make the toggles on his mackintosh.
He has travelled with me across the world and he and I have had many adventures together over the years. He is a very precious member of my small family.
Scout was a gift to Paddy from my friend. He is a Fair Trade Bear hand knitted in Africa. His name comes from the shop my friend found him in: Scout House. He tells me that life was very different where he came from, and Paddy is helping introduce him to many new experiences. Scout catches on quickly, and has proven to be a cheeky, but very lovable member of our closely knit family.
