Excerpt
314 Words
Excerpt____________________
AFTER some more deliberation and looking, she said, “Look, can I just ask again—for the sake of clarity—that the name Dooven is not spelt with a G?”
He sighed. “Look. My name is Dooven. Oscar Teabag-Dooven.” He spelt it out for her.
“So there’s really no G in there at all,” she said.
“Not unless your spelling is atrocious.”
“Is your spelling atrocious?”
“What?”
“Is your spelling atrocious?” she asked. “If it is, then it explains why it might be spelt with a G.”
“No. My spelling is excellent. Especially considering it’s my name.”
She frowned and thought again. “Are you certain it’s your name?”
His stare solidified. “You can’t be serious.”
“I’m just trying to ascertain what reasons might lie behind Dooven not being spelt with a G.”
Oscar put his little suitcase down and placed both paws carefully upon the desk. “There’s only one reason Dooven is not spelt with a G,” he said, “and that’s because it isn’t.”
“How old were you when you learnt to spell your name?”
“I can’t remember.”
“Well, can you perhaps try? Otherwise this could go on all night.”
“I think it already has.”
Some animals arrived at the desk nearby and checked in with no trouble at all.
“Listen,” he said, leaning closer. “It really isn’t complicated. I’m sure my office has booked a room in the name of Dooven. After all, they arrange a taxi to pick me up from the station to bring me here.”
“Ah, but a taxi doesn’t have a desk.”
“No, but it does have wheels.”
“Are they spelt with a G?”
When he tried pulling his ears, but missed, he had an idea.
“G?” he said, in feigned realisation. “Yes, of course. G. Sorry, I thought you said M.”
“So Dooven is spelt with a G?”
He nodded and tutted at his ineptitude, before pointing at the top of his head, “I don’t hear very well, you see.”
“So, Dooven with a G then?”
“What?” he said, to prove the fact.
From Chapter 6
- Writer
