Mr Whatsisname

Well the whiskey worked for a few days, but I soon realised more drastic intervention was needed and Riversleigh was far from town. I had noted a good array of competent cooks at Riversleigh, and a strange ephemeral being who wafted around late at night with a candle...presumably checking to see if we were all tucked in with no possibility of tears before bedtime. However no dentist.

So, swallowing the last of my hip flask (cunningly hidden from my fellow residents) I headed down the track once more to say goodbye to my new friends before heading off. Dame Wash-a-Lot's tub was still where she had abandoned it, with some little blue wrens fossicking nearby.She would have been pleased about that. But there was no sign of the Faraway Tree...just an empty glade. With an old man, albeit clear eyed and sprightly, leaning on a step ladder and clutching a plastic bag.
"Gone again," he said. " Just when I found some lightbulbs" I shared his dismay. However so much out of the ordinary had happened lately that the lightbulbs were not an issue.
"What is your name?" I asked. Rather abruptly in retrospect.
"MrWhatsisname,"he replied obligingly." I fell off a ladder once. Changing lightbulbs" he added as an afterthought. He paused ,perhaps wondering whether it was advisable to be thinking of doing this again.
"So I can't remember my name and that's what they call me. Mr Whatsisname."
It seemed reasonable and again we both contemplated the empty glade.
"It'll be back.I've just got to be patient." He wandered off to the side to do just that. I followed.

He seemed pleased to have company and proceeded to regale me with what seemed like his whole life's story and as he was very old, it was very long. I was contemplating my own and not really listening, when the words "Dame Wash-a-Lot" grabbed my attention and I cursed myself for my wandering thoughts.

"Yes"he continued, unpeturbed," Such a change. Really a nice old thing. Not a bad cook either now she's given up all that washing and putting the pixie in a bad mood throwing suds all over the place. Made it tricky climbing the tree. But she does want the light bulbs changed." He sounded a bit hesitant as if this had the potential to be a problem.
"Never mind, we are going to look after each other until the Land of Ancestors comes to the top of the tree."

He fell silent. I was too. But I knew it was alright to leave this little group for a while. They were self sufficient in their own little community. I was superfluous. And my tooth was shouting its turn for attention.

Reluctantly I closed my door at Riversleigh, leaving a note for Lois to water the lemon tree in my absence. The room still had my name on the door and somehow I knew there would be fresh linen on the bed when I returned.