Blue and Red

Red and Blue

After having owned the property for nearly fifty two years, it was time for Henry to give up swinging his chainsaw and move into town. The decision wasn’t an easy one, but for once the head ruled the heart and of course as in any partnership Mags’ wishes needed to be considered as well. He was none too fussed about having a real estate sign at the gate, nor about people mooching around the property assessing what a lifetime’s commitment might be worth in cash terms to them. But it’s a process that anyone who’s owned property must go through at some time – like it or not.

One of the reasons Henry drives a1984 model utility truck is that he can’t be bothered trooping around car-sale yards, listening to the blabber of salesmen and choosing from a bunch of clones! So the prospect of looking for a replacement home was like some monstrous storm on the horizon and he knew consensus would be as likely as striking it lucky on Lotto! But somehow it happened and quicker than expected. But Henry still had concerns that the buyer of his property might renege.

Anyway, the transactions went smoothly and packing commenced! During fifty two years, there’s an accumulation, collections, memorabilia and handy stuff, much of which he stored in a forty foot shipping container. As a matter of fact, when he bought the container, his sister-in-law told him that he was downright foolish because upon his death, someone would have to deal with all the so-called treasures. Happily Henry ain’t dead yet and it turned out he was the one dealing with the treasures, but it goes to show, sometimes sister-in-laws have a measure of wisdom! A lot went to charity shops, he sold few things on a trading site, like the anvil he could no longer lift, some things he sold to a second hand shop and a few items were donated to the local museum.

Applying logistics, Henry hired a covered truck, which the guy promised would carry everything from a three bedroomed home. Theirs was a three bedroom alright but a smallish one, but Henry hoped it would be ok. The truck had a platform at the back that folded up like a half-door and could help lift heavy things from ground level to deck level. A most helpful push-button gadget! Possession date for both properties was on a Monday, so Henry hired the truck for the Sunday and the Monday – Sunday to load the truck and Monday to unload it. He wasn’t sure how difficult the task would end up being.

There was only going to be one chance at loading, if the order of loading was wrong, they weren’t going to be able to unload and have another go. Time and their helpers wouldn’t take too kindly to doing so. Henry had already taken three loads into town aboard his old ute, so that should lessen the big load and Steve turned up with his large trailer, which was their contingency plan, a plan that had to be utilized – twice over! Despite the truck being loaded with the precision of a banana packer, there was a two-trailer surplus.

Another complication had arisen a fortnight before loading day. The annual valley BBQ-cum-get-together was scheduled for the day of loading and their departure from the valley. Henry and Mags quickly decided that loading took priority, a plan that was undone by a deputation that insisted a bite to eat was appropriate to sustain a bunch of would-be truck-loaders. Of course Henry and Mags realised that the valley wanted to offer their farewells, so while Steve was off with the first trailer load, they shared a sausage and the odd kind word with the valley folk.

By the time the sausages and words had been digested, Steve had returned and loaded most of what remained of the accumulation. Steve helped Henry finally close the back door of the truck while Mags, with a tear in the eye, swept the last of the dust from the garage. Henry didn’t allow nostalgia to seep in and waved for her to travel ahead of him in the car, which was packed to the gunnels with clothes and oddments. Henry was careful to drive slowly and smoothly for the twenty five kilometres journey, hoping the load wouldn’t shift and potentially cause damage. Regularly he pulled over to avoid a buildup traffic behind him, impatient drivers don’t like to be held up by slower, older vehicles! He was aware that from the Kakanui bridge, there’s no safe place to overtake and before reaching the town, and he noticed a woman driving a SUV towing a double horse float was tucked in behind him.

Mags occupied the last of the pull-off spaces, she had stopped, worried that Henry seemed too far behind her. She waved as he passed her but started ringing him at once! Of course he wasn’t going to answer while he was driving. At the first set of traffic lights, he had to respond to a red light and his phone rang again, on green he parked safely on the side of the road outside a hardware store. In his rear-view he saw the woman in the SUV pull up behind him, meanwhile his clever phone told him that Mags had rung six times! In the rear-view mirror the woman from the SUV was walking towards him. He though he was in for an ear-blasting for going too slow!

The woman wasn’t angry at all, rather, she was concerned and told him that the truck’s back door was wide open and the accumulation was in danger of toppling out! Henry, while still fussing with is phone, acknowledged her concern, but quickly realised he wasn’t quite polite enough, so he climbed from the cab but by the time he reached her she was ready to drive off. He thanked her, and apologised for causing her concern. In return she apologised because having no alternative, she called *555, a direct line to the police for traffic offences. Henry swore under his breath, but told her that she had acted responsibly, and understood her predicament. Suddenly, around the corner came blue and red lights atop a police car! As the woman drove off, the police car pulled up into the space she had left vacant.

A tall, young woman stepped out of the car with a smile on her face and a friendly attitude. She told Henry she was responding to three *555 calls about him, but because nothing had actually fallen out, she wasn’t going to give him a ticket. She advised not to blame the woman in the SUV for calling the police because stopping suddenly with her load of horses would put them in danger and Henry fully agreed. The platform that folded up to act as a half-door had saved the load and the policewoman helped Henry adjust the load to allow the proper door to close and lock shut. Henry reckoned the policewoman was stronger than him and appreciated her help.

Mags had parked up the road and walked back expecting Henry to be in trouble, and was relieved when the policewoman chatted to her in a friendly way. As is police protocol, she asked Henry to produce his driver’s licence, which complied with the larger-type vehicle, and finally she required him to take a breath test. Right there on the side of the road and on the main street! He hoped he wouldn’t be seen! Anyway, he hadn’t been drinking, even though there was plenty on offer at the BBQ. The policewoman repeated that she wasn’t going to ticket him and in her report, she told him, she would say the door had a faulty catch.

Henry waits, somebody he knows was bound to have seen him breathing into the infernal machine, and that someone will be waiting for the right moment!