The telephone

Suddenly the phone screamed. The little lad jumped slightly as he stood and studied a stump. I was studying some dead birch over me when the sound cut through the air. The phone had only one mark left in the battery. And now it laid in the heather and sputtered as a rat.

I looked down at it. Then I realised and picked it up.

-Hello, I said.

-Yes, hello. This is from The Bureau of Poison Control, a man said in the phone. -Are you the one who sent one image of a mushroom?

-Eh, yes, that was me, I said.

-Yes, the fungus, yes. It sure is an early one, this time of year. But it sure is a mushroom. Yes. We are several people here at the bureau who have studied the image carefully. And out of the image, if the light of the image makes our conclusion correct, we mean that this is a peppery bolete. It is not counted to be an edible fungi, and it has a very strong taste. So it`s a little wonder that the lad managed to swallow it. It even smell quite strongly. So, yes, it`s a little wonder. Maybe if it has been much rain where you are, then maybe the taste is a little diluted.

-But is it toxic, I asked fast.

-No, that is, it`s not an edible fungi. But it`s not directly dangerous to eat, so...

-So it`s not toxic?

-No, it`s not. That is again, if the light of the image makes our conclusion correct...but when I look at the image, then I...yes, no,... I can say for sure that this is a peppery bolete...yes I can.

I breathed out slowly.

-OK, thank you so much, I said.

-All right. Please contact me again if there is something more, he said.

I turned off and looked down at the lad. He sat and drew his hand over some cranberry heather.

-What do you say? Shall we go home, I asked.

He looked up at me.

-Dayapp, he replied.