The Wombat

It's late and we're on our way to the farm. Sabina is happily sleeping in her booster seat. As we arrive in our little village, all the houses are fast asleep. We turn onto our gravel road, and I cruise along gently. At the top of the big dipper I spot a dark shadow in the dip, and slam the breaks on. The change in momentum jolts Sabina awake. But she doesn't utter a word. We stop three metres away from the wombat. "Hrmmmmfff", he says as he gazes into the high beam. I turn my lights down, leaving only the glimmer of parking lights and wombat spotters. "Hrmmmfff" the wombat gazes at the big wombat of a car. Midnight Oil plays in the background. "Hrmmmfff" the wombat decides to seek the cover of tall grass by the side of the road. Lights back on, we drive on. At the letter box, I stop and glance at Sabina. "Did you see the wombat?" She nods.