Chapter 24

The water turned cool before I woke up. Mattie was dozing in a chair, Cat firmly ensconced on her lap. I pulled the plug. What a neat tub, I thought. Cat leapt from Mattie’s lap and jumped in the draining water. He batted the plug from my hand and pushed it into the drain.

Mattie woke, looked at Cat and said, “Cats don’t like water.”

“First time for everything,” I said. I looked at Cat, “Is it warm enough?”

Cat maneuvered himself under the faucet and tapped the hot tap. He swam to the far end. When it was hot enough he paddled to the faucet, turned the tap off and rolled over on his back.

He was sleeping when Mattie and I left.

“I’ve organized a car. We have time to get to Slick Willy’s. You don’t look trendy. Slick Willy’s is the place for decent clothes.”

The car wasn’t just a car ... it was a 1948 Rolls Royce Silver Wraith 6 passenger limo built by Hooper. The driver looked familiar.

“Albert?”

“Yes, Miss.”

“None of that, unless you want me to call you Al. Do you?”

“Where to, Mel?”

“Much better. This is Mattie’s show ... ask her.”

“Slick Willy’s, Albert.”

“Shopping?”

“Yup.”

“I suppose I’ll have to carry?”

“Yeah.”

Macandrew to Beach to George. At Wickliffe Terrace, George makes a very slight turn to the west and magically becomes Dunedin- Port Chalmers Road. Just past St. Leonards Yacht Club, Dunedin- Port Chalmers makes another turn and becomes Ravensbourne ... at the roundabout, Ravensbourne went right and our road gained a number... 88 ... State Highway 88. It’s magic ... I tell you ... Magic!

Before 88 had a chance to regain a name, we turned right on Fredrick’s, left on George, right between a couple of buildings. Car park. Slick Willy’s. Let the violence begin.

I am glad I brought the bag ... the moneybag. My purse would never hold the cash I spent.

Two Hundred Ninteen Dollars and Tax for ONE pair of the most comfortable jeans I have ever worn in my life! I bought 5 pair. They fit ... I know ... I asked Albert. He stuttered just enough to convince me.

Before I was totally broke I managed to get out with the tail-end 0f ten thousand dollars. Ten Grand ... almost ... and not a single Levi’s trademark. Amazing!

My stomach announced. Mattie giggled, Albert laughed outright.

I looked at the pair ... Now what made me think that?...”Feed me.” I held up a hand. “Someplace you won’t be ashamed to be seen with me ... or I, you. Not the Golden Arches.”

“The Bog!” Twins I tell ya ... they’re twins.

We walked. I was wearing my sea clothes. I’ll wash the new before I’ll wear it.

We walked past seafood, Japanese, two Indian eateries, Sushi, Chinese, and Velvet Burger before The Bog. An Irish Pub.

“I can’t go in there,” I said.

“Why not?” Twins again.

“I can not believe you don’t know how old I am,” I said.

“Fourteen soon to be fifteen,” Mattie said.

“Really?” said Albert.

“Yes.”

“HighSchool?”

“No ... college ... as soon as my sibs show up.”

“What? You’re some genius?”

“Off the charts,” I held my hand over my head. “Way up there.”

“Jeeze, you act pretty normal to me,” Albert said as he ushered me in the door.

I was not the youngest kid in there ... a couple had their 12 year old. She was sipping a glass of wine.

“That’s been watered to less than 2%.” Mattie explained.

“Grape Allergy.” I said. “No wine for me ... or raisins, 57 sauce. If it’s got grape or grape products in it, I can’t have it.”

“No wine?” said Mattie.

“Not a drop.”

“None for me, either,” said Albert. “But only because I’m driving.”

The burger was really good ... but strange. I parted with a most of a hundred dollar bill. The fries were just the way I like ‘em ... brown ... crispy and smothered in watered white apple cider vinegar. Canadian style fries.

“Things are so expensive here ... why?” I asked.

“Aren’t things the same in the USA?” Mattie asked.

“I can get a good pair of jeans for $8.00 at Farmers Supply. A great one pound hamburger at Hardie’s for six bucks. Gas is under 2 bucks a gallon ... that’s almost 4 liters. I got a real deal on my Farr 48. It was in need of repair ... which I did myself. Eight thousand bucks. The repairs were under 2 grand. I saw one just like it advertised for Five hundred sixty thousand. Same year... 1985. I have no idea what mom paid for the catamaran but one similar was 2 million.”

“Six bucks for a one pound burger?” Albert asked.

Trust a guy to think of his belly.