Me: Can we talk about horseflies?
Nell: If we must.
Me: Harriet hates them and so do I.
Nell: They’re extremely tiresome creatures.
Me: They bite.
Nell: They certainly do.
Me: They’re good for nothing.
Nell: Actually they’re a major food source for many creatures. Birds, frogs, lizards, and other insects eat them. For example, wasps like the horse guard hunt them to feed their young.
Me: I can’t stand wasps, either.
Nell: Male horseflies and non-biting females spend most of their time on flowers. Because they are very hairy, they easily carry pollen from bloom to bloom.
Me: Fine. They have a purpose, but why do they have to bite me so hard?
Nell: Only the females bite. They need the protein for their young.
Me: How come you know so much about them?
Nell: If you must know, Poppy has made friends with a male horsefly.
Me: Why?
Nell: It wants to be a pirate.
Me: I’ve heard it all now. I can’t believe you have horseflies up there.
Nell: Even horseflies need Guardians.
Me: I suppose they do.
Nell: Poppy has quite an eclectic mix of Guardians in her pirate class.
Me: Pirate class? What do they learn?
Nell: Sword fighting, cutlass waving, stealing and looting.
Me: Seriously?
Nell: Not the stealing and looting. If you ask me it’s just any old excuse to wear a pirate’s hat.
Me: Fair enough.
Nell: Anyway, Poppy and Marcus have really hit it off.
Me: Marcus? The horsefly is called Marcus?
Nell: Why not?
Me: I imagined it being called Dracula.
Nell: Don’t be ridiculous. It’s not a bat.
Me: I hope Marcus hasn’t tried to bite Poppy.
Nell: He wouldn’t dare and it’s the females who bite.
Me: Oh yes, I forgot.
Nell: Conversations involve listening.
Me: Yes. Sorry.
