As I shared in my previous blog, The Story behind Trolson and Merv, I told you how their journey came to be, with a half-submerged shopping trolley and a wondering mind. But for a good story to evolve, it needs more than just this duo.
Let's start with Merv's sister, Tilly.
Every character needs a Tilly - someone who understands them, knows which buttons to push, isn't easily impressed, but who beams with pride at what they achieve. That's Tilly.
And as we get we get to know Tilly, we learn more about Merv.
- She's his twin. They have the same grin, known as The Grin.
- Both were given names (Matilda and Mervyn) that they've sworn should "never be spoken of again."
- She accepts him fully. When he turned up with a shopping trolley - and a name for it - there were no questions or raised eyebrows, just acceptance.
- She doesn't let him get away with much, especially when he tries to leave a pelican in her yard.
- Tilly's a chef who works on a boat - something Merv cannot do (or at least the boat part!). We've finally discovered Merv's weakness!
- She'd love him to stay - whether he sleeps on the front verandah, in the house or in the back yard.
- She's handy, or at least had handy tools - Merv raided it to convert Trolson to a gliding trolley!
- We know that Tilly has a son called Ben, who is married to Mary-Anne and has two children, Pippa and Toby.
She encourages Merv to be a better version of himself. Not through grand gestures, but simply through the act of believing in him.
We would all be so lucky to have a sister like Tilly.
Next time, we will introduce you to her family - and the little voices who often see more than the grown ups do.
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