Walbot's Wobble

I am Walbot. I flew into a lamp post. The lamp post was fine, but my arm began to wobble.

Wobble, wobble, wobble.

A repair kit cost three coins. A new arm cover cost nine. I had ten coins, so I could choose either.

The cover was wonderfully shiny. I wanted it.

‘Will it stop the wobble?’ Louis asked.

‘It covers the wobble,’ I said.

That was different from fixing it. Under the cover, my arm would still do this:

Wobble, wobble, wobble.

Then Zion spotted a stripe on the shiny cover. I liked the stripe too.

Ten coins. One repair kit. One shiny cover. I could like how something looked and still ask what it would do.

I held my arm still for a moment. There was a decision underneath all that shine.