The Rose of Singapore by Peter Neville Page B

yesterday.”
    â€œThat’s what I came in for, Paddy. There’s nothing like eating a banana or two when I’m touring the city at night.”
    â€œI’ll get you a bunch,” said Peter, who was still perplexed as to what the flight sergeant wanted to ask him. “How is that stomach of yours these days, Flight? Still playing you up?” he asked.
    â€œThankfully, it’s been quite settled this last week or so, but if I eat pastries or fatty foods, I pay for it.” The flight sergeant gave a gruff laugh, “Cookie, the lightly boiled eggs and egg custards you serve me in this office are my life-savers.”
    â€œWould you care for a couple of eggs now?” volunteered Peter. “I’ll have them ready in a jiffy. It’s no trouble.”
    â€œNo, but thanks all the same. I’ll just take some bananas. I’m in rather a hurry.”
    And as Peter disappeared into the fruit store, he shouted, “Flight, what was it you wanted to ask me?”
    The flight sergeant waited until Peter emerged from the fruit store before saying, “I’d like you to babysit my two kids.”
    â€œWhat?” shouted Peter, completely taken aback. “Am I hearing you right, Flight? Did you say babysit?” he asked. In one hand he held a brown paper bag containing a big bunch of bananas.
    â€œYes, babysit. What’s so mind-boggling about that?” asked the flight sergeant. “There’s nothing new in the job. I’d like to take the missus to a show in town. All I’m asking is for you to babysit my two kids for a few hours whilst we’re away. The amah won’t stay evenings, and it would just be for the one evening. I’d pay you, of course, and there are perks. All you have to do is come around to my home this Thursday evening, say around six, and look after the kids until about ten or until we get back. The favour I’m asking you is nothing more than that.”
    â€œChrist! Some favour,” said Peter scornfully. “Thanks, but no thanks, Flight. Can you imagine what everyone in the catering section would say if they hear I’m babysitting for the chief of the provost police? They’ll call me an arse-kisser. I can just see Ginger Rundle lying on his bed laughing his fat head off. And Mike Chalmers calling me a little sissy and a creep, bumming around the police chief.”
    â€œDon’t you think you’re making too big a deal of this? It would only be for those few hours,” said the flight sergeant.
    â€œNo thanks, Flight. I’d consider most anything else, but not babysitting.”
    â€œToo bad. You’d enjoy it. You’d have a lot of fun playing with my kids, and there’s always plenty of beer in the fridge. It would get you out of the block for awhile,” said the flight sergeant seriously. Then he said, “I think you’d like my kids. They’re easy to get along with. Anyway, I’ll ask you again tomorrow.”
    â€œThanks, Flight, but no thanks. The answer will still be, ‘No.’”
    â€œPerhaps, but think about it.”
    â€œI have thought about it. Anyway, did you say Thursday?”
    â€œYes, Thursday.”
    â€œWell, that’s put the lid on that.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œI’ve a date on Thursday.”
    â€œYou’ve a date!” exclaimed the flight sergeant, frowning. “Who with?”
    â€œA Chinese girl I met down on the beach last Saturday.”
    â€œReally! Not Molly or Lilly or The Bucket, I hope, or one of the other prostitutes that hang out down there,” said a now serious Flight Sergeant Cameron.
    Proudly Peter said, “Nope, she’s not one of them. She’s a real lady and the most beautiful woman in the whole world. I was down on the beach swimming with her. I asked her for a date, she accepted, and she took me home.”
    â€œJust like that?” asked a challenging Sergeant