We were having dinner at a cafe, dining outside at dusk on a truly beautiful evening, and two very worried young women appeared trying to find their car keys. We shook our bean bags but no joy, then one of the women looked in a barrel she’d been sitting at and there they were at the bottom. Talk about brilliant entertainment. First the bar staff, then the manager, then some older women onlookers, followed by a guy who the woman he was with was promoting as a handy man… some standing about with a little talking, reminding me of some children earlier this week.

The barrel gets upended and there is a metal platform on a pole in the bottom. Handy man tries to get the pole out using force. Then a middle aged kiwi bloke in the classic short shorts of a practical outside man, he even has a cricket hat on, appears. He gets handyman to turn the metal pole so the bit sticking out lines up with the key hole shape of the bottom hole and they separate. Helena points out there is a hole in the side for the second time, or maybe the third time. Kiwi bloke puts the barrel on it’s side and shakes like crazy. No keys come out. Helena says she could probably put her hand in the bottom hole. Helena is not holding back her opinions, and her creative solutions perhaps she recognises the situation.

But guess what no one hears. I go over and tell her she has to speak really loud so adults hear but in the end I had to say it. There is a bit of concern about her putting her hand in the dirty barrel at which point I laugh as I know what she puts her hands in! It’s agreed that she will wash her hands after. Helena fishes out the keys after first fishing out paper, a table number stand, a luggage tag and rubbish, announcing each thing she pulls out with bravado until finally the keys. She is a hero.

But why is it when kids have good ideas they have to speak extra loud to be heard…