...and now - a story.

A story by Batty McDougall with inspiration from Oliver Haddo.

Two passengers shared a railway car from London to Manchester. Though these two men did not know each other personally, they were traveling in the same route. One of the passengers noted that the other had, in his lap, a small wooden box with perforations on the lid of the container. Unable to contain his curiosity any longer, the passenger leaned over and said, "Excuse my intrusion, but I cannot help notice the package resting on your lap. Can I assume that due to the holes in the recepticle, that you are traveling with some sort of small animal?"
The other passenger was somewhat nonplussed by the inquisitive nature of his fellow traveler, but felt compelled to answer. "You are correct, sir" he replied, "In this box I am carrying a mongoose."

The passenger was taken aback. He said "A mongoose! I would have thought that it would be a rabbit or a cat or some other variety of small animal. Not something as exotic as a mongoose..." And with that, he sat back. A small amount of time passed, and again, a spirit of curiosity over took the passenger. "I simply must know..." he inquired, "Why it is that you would be heading north with such a creature."

The man put the box down beside him on the vacant seat, crossed his legs and said "Well, you see it has something to do with a personal matter really. I will now ask you for your discretion in me relating this story to you, but I feel that you would be someone who could hold such matters in secrecy. My eldest brother..." he recounted, "...has always been a bit of a troublemaker. Being a sort of black sheep in the family, he finds himself in the grips of many vices, the largest of which is his fondness for strong spirits... Unfortunately, at this time, he is painfully suffering from the effects of dementia." The man went on, "everywhere he goes, whether in his room on the melancholy streets of Manchester, he sees snakes. So that is why I am taking him this mongoose, you see, so that he may be rid of them."

Somewhat confused, the passenger leaned once again closer to the other. "Excuse me, surely these snakes that your brother sees are imaginary?" "Indeed" his fellow traveler replied. "But this!" And here he motioned meaningfully to the box at his left, "...Is an imaginary mongoose..."