Chapter 29

Home again, home again, jiggity jig.

Home again, home again, no fat pig.

Back ... yes, we’re back, Bathurst. Hello!

Janna did buy her franchise ... and didn’t fire her boss.

“He’s always been fair to his employees,” she said. “That said ... he has very little patience with lazy or ignorant employees. ‘Do your job and we’ll get along fine,’ he said. He’s said that at every employees meeting and it’s in the New Employees Handbook. People who work he keeps. I’ve been his assistant for almost two years.”

Alice said, “Abby ... we need to get to Brisbane before school starts.”

“Daddy?” Abby said.

“I don’t have time,” Dave said. “If you want to go ... go.”

“You mean ... out there with the lions, tigers and men? Daddy.” Can’t you hear the whine ... I can. (I put a lot of work into that whine ... and the look that goes with it. Pity ... he’s at the mine and can’t see it.)

“Yes,” he said.

Alice and I shared a fist pump and hi-five.

“Bye the way,” he said. “They both run. Well ... they did when I parked them at the Vault. It’s just they look like a shed fell on ‘em. I know they won’t pass inspection.”

Ooo ... I didn’t think about the ‘LAW’ ... Heck!

Daddy said... “Take the train ... ship ‘em home in a railcar.”

Shocked ... I am shocked ... Daddy ... wow Pops. “Alice?”

“I’m on the phone.”

“...”

“Yes.”

“...”

“Yes.”

“...”

“One hundred eighty five.”

“...”

“Yes.”

“...”

“Two.”

“...”

“Open return,” she said.

“...”

“We have to organize shipping,” she said.

“...”

“Two classic utes.”

“...”

“Bathurst”

“...”

“Railcar will work.”

“...”

“Seven AM?”

“...”

“Tomorrow.”

...

“One card.”

“...”

“XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX”

“...”

“Never.”

“...”

“Yes, Sir. No expiration date.”

“...”

“Just submit it.”

Then she wasn’t saying anything. I opened my mouth to ask and was ignored.

“I’m on hold.”

“...”

“Thank you.”

She disconnected. “He’d never heard of a ‘no expiration date card.’

“Well?” I said.

Her phone rang. It was One Card.

“Yes ... Trip to Brisbane via Sydney and return.”

“...”

“Shipping.”

“...”

“Thanks for checking.”

She turned, “Do you have luggage?” she asked me.

“Yes.”

“Get a move on ... train leaves at 7:05 in the morning.”

Packing for two teen girls? Three cases. It was only two nights. We packed light. I forgot about the lay-over ... Oops.

We held up every outfit we owned ... check the mirror ... Yes or No ... Every Yes got packed. Every No was left on the floor or over a chair or stacked on the desk ... anywhere but back in the closet.

Our rooms were a total disaster ... clothes scattered everywhere.

Myndee said, “I’m not cleaning this mess. You do it when you get home.”

I’m glad we were taking the train. Air would 245 each in economy class ... one way. As it was ... Alice was paying a thousand including shipping the cars back to town.

I called Daddy. “7:05. Tomorrow. Call your storage people.” and hung up.

Very early in the morning... 4am. Waded through the mess, Breakfast, shower ... gussy ... taxi ... train.