Chapter 9

When we got back to the hotel, Charlie learned that breakfast was available from 6:30, but that also meant coffee, tea, toast, and juices and fruit. With an obvious expression of distaste ar what we called breakfast, he told us that he had "a mess o'" planning to do, and would eat in the hotel and that he'd be going to the yards as early as possible.

Weena and I went to our room, took a long shower together and then spent about an hour — uh -- "drying off." I took another shower after that. We went to a "fancy" place for dinner and the result was that we were still in bed at 8 a.m. "Last time we'll be able to do this, sweetheart," I said. "Tomorrow we'll be loading cattle at this time. And after that, we'll get up when Maddy and her crew want us to."

"For how long?" asked Weena at breakfast.

"I'm not sure. We've got to find out whether the Ghan will make a 'request stop'. Then, I think the best thing would be to come back tomorrow week."

"M-m-m?"

I thought about it for a few moments, and then said: "The Ghan gets to Alice Springs from Adelaide in the afternoon on Mondays and Thursdays. It must be under two hours from the Finke Bridge to here. So we should ask Maddy today whether we'll get from Horseshoe Bend to the train by noon. If yes, we can fly from here to Perth on Friday. What do you think?"

With a smile, Weena answered "Wonderful! We'll be home for the weekend!"

We were still at breakfast when a server came over and asked: "Are you Gordy?"

"Yes, why?"

"There's a call for you. You can pick it up at the desk."

"Thanks." I walked over and the clerk already had the receiver in his hand.

"Here he is, sir."

"Hello?"

"Gordy. This is Charlie. I'm at the yards. But I got a problem. Could you come an' help? Mebbe you an' Weena could drive out."

"Sure thing. Be 'bout 10 minutes." I went back to Weena and told her about my conversation with Charlie. She nodded and went went in search of the Land Rover. We reached the railyards will little difficulty. When we parked, I noticed that there was an unfamiliar pickup truck outside the office. Charlie was standing at the doorway to the office, talking to a bloke who looked like he knew how to work.

"G'day."

"G'day," said the unidentified man.

Charlie introduced us — sort of. "Hi Weena, hi Gordy. This fella's from Undewya an' is interested in some cattle."

The man chuckled. "Hello. Actually it's Undoolya. It's about 30 kilometers east of here. Name's Jed"

"Right. I've heard of it," I said.

He nodded. "Undoolya Station's the oldest working cattle station in the Territory and the buildings are still lived in. The owners have lived at the station for a hundred years, since 1907. Anyway, I drove in to see Scott, an' I saw the cattle. He says you're movin' 'em south tomorrow. Interested in movin' fewer?"

"How many?"

"No more'n 50. Heifers only. My boss'll try breedin' them longhorns with our bulls."

"Interesting. Charlie, what do you think?"

"Honest. I don' know. I don' know if I'm allowed to sell. I don' know how much to sell 'em fer. I were jus' lookin' over the layout here to see how to herd 'em onto the cars."

"It's getting hot," Weena said. "Jed, come back to the hotel, we can have a cold drink sittin' down, and we can see what you and Charlie can do."

"Sounds good to me," Jed answered.

"I'll ride with you in your truck; Charlie can ride with Gordy." Weena was getting' back to "in charge" mode.

Back at the hotel, we got seated and Weena and Jed were about two minutes behind us. "Coffee, tea, beer, soda?" I asked when they sat down. Charlie and Weena opted for coffee, Jed and I took Cokes.

"So you want heifers?"

"Yep. I told Weena on the way over here that they ought to breed well. We've got a few solid bulls that shouldn't have any problems when they're in season."

Charlie nodded, then commented, "Ayup. Longhorn cows are easy at the right time."

"So, how much you want?" Jed asked.

"I don't rightly know. I'd know what they'd fetch in Texas ... but in Alice Springs?..." Charlie let it hang.

"Well," Jed said. "We've been getting' between $1.60 and $2.20 per kilo for heifers. An' they bin averaging around 360 kilos. Your's are a bit thin — prob'ly 'cause o' the travel. So, if I look at an average of 300 kilos at $1.75, that'd be $525 a head; 50'd come to just over $26,000. We'd pick 'em up this afternoon. Boys'd come to the yards in two trucks. So ... boss'll offer you $25,000 an' the boys c'n bring you a cheque."

"Woah. Weena, Gordy, what you guys think?"

"Well, its about what a breeding heifer'd fetch in Queensland," I said. "But my dad doesn't own a bull. All his breedin's by artificial insemination and all the male calves go for veal as soon as they're off the teat."

"It sounds OK to me," said Weena. I could already guess that she'd primed Jed on the way over.

"Waal then, Jed. I guess your boss is buyin' 50 heifers for $25,000. You go phone him."

Jed broke into a smile, reached out a hand, and said "Deal." They shook and he walked into the lobby, pulling his cell phone out of his pocket.