It took Simon twenty minutes before he found the courage to speak. “Dad,” she licked her lips, “Um, did you look at the letter I gave Mom yesterday?” His father ignored the question and continued eating. Simon looked at his father warily. Dinner times had to be carefully negotiated. Normally he would devour his dinner and apologize before drinking it, but not today. Ever since he had been sent home with a newsletter about the school trip, he had thought nothing else. He wanted to go so desperately that he decided to push his luck. “Dad, Grandma said it would be okay if you gave me the birthday money early, so it wouldn't cost anything.” Expecting to be interrupted, Simon paused. “Yeah and, um, a lot of other people are coming.” Simon watched his father continue in silence. Maybe they would let me go? Simon tried to suppress a smile. “The Natural History Museum is meant to be absolutely brilliant, Dad.” He nodded excitedly. “I can't wait to see the dinosaurs. Toby’s mom and dad took him with them last year and he brought back a fossil.” As soon as his father stopped chewing, Simon realized he had said too much. he won't go." Simon's stomach dropped. "Then the Harlows have money." He pointed the knife at Simon. "I bet that little sod Toby still doesn't piss on the bed at nine, does he? Maybe when you learn to behave normal way, then you can leave." Simon sank down dejectedly. Not satisfied, his father continued: "Anyway, not even her parents are worth a bet. Her fat bitch never gave her any hard work..." "But she's cute. I like her." Simon muttered. Without warning his father picked up the salt pan and threw it at him. Simon hit his side hard... in the center of the paper... this time. It hit Toby just below the left cheekbone. The impact snapped his head back and sent him reeling backwards. Wordlessly, Toby stood up and ran away through the bushes. Ashamed, Simon stood still and listened as a light breeze stirred the surrounding trees. The sound of the wind never failed to calm him. Recovering his father's tools he no longer wanted to hunt for fossils. It was something he and Toby had planned to do. But having been disappointed again, he changed his mind. Simon could have lived for a while without a fossil and without friends. Instead he spent the rest of the day and a week of evenings clearing the stream bed of rubble. Who knows, maybe one day the snake will return? That evening, on his way home, Simon found Toby's father's lighter. The next day he sent it secretly to Toby's letterbox.