Wrong Place Wrong Time
Chapter six
After a cold night the day dawned with a heavy fog which faded away by 8.00 am. Tim and Sarah did not see much of the fog as they slept in just a bit, the first good nights sleep for a few days, for Tim anyway. Breakfast was toast and coffee for Sarah and toast and tea for Tim. As they sat on the front veranda looking out over the valley they both found themselves not wanting to leave. But leave they had to in order to make sure that his would be their future.
Today they needed to drive to Howard’s home at Hartwood which would take them about five hours. As Howard did not know they would be coming and they could not let him know as he had no phone, they hoped to get to his place sometime between two and three in the afternoon.
All sorts of things could go very wrong today, Howard could be away on a trip, unlikely, but possible. Tim had not spoken to Howard for some time so all sorts of things may have happened, he could off sold up and moved away. Its not like Tim and Howard were the best of friends who talked every week, they were old school friends who communicated by mail, Christmas cards, birthday cards and the like.
Tim started the car and moved it out of the shed, he then entered Howard’s address into the Sat Nav and moved the car closer to the house. They packed the car with everything, as they had decided to leave nothing here as who knows what might happen. They did leave one flash drive loaded with everything from Glen’s lap top, just in case.
Sarah locked the house and placed the key back under the rock before they drove away. It took some time to get along the track to the boundary gate, which again had to be lifted off its hinges to get it open. By the time they were on the bitumen road the Sat Nav was telling them that they would get to Howard place at two thirty in the afternoon.
The route to Howard’s home was on secondary roads but still passed through a number of small towns. They stoped for a break around morning tea time while passing through a small village but not for long as they just wanted to keep moving. Filled the car with petrol at the lunch break just after crossing the Murrey River but as they drove out of the town they came upon a Police Random Breathalyzer. By the time they saw it, it was too late to stop or turn around so there was nothing for it but to brazen it out.
Tim pulled up behind another car and waited, all the time trying to look relaxed.
“If they ask for my drivers licence, I will tell them that I left it at home,” said Tim.
“It might work, lets hope,” replied Sarah.
The car in front drove away and Tim pulled forward and stoped next to the Police Officer.
“Good afternoon Sir, have you had any alcohol today,” asked the Police Officer.
“No mate, I don’t drink,” came the response from Tim.
“Count to ten please Sir”, instructed the Police Officer as he held a devise in front of Tim mouth.
But before he got to ten the Police Officer said, “thanks Sir, on your way.”
Tim and Sarah drove away trying to look completely relaxed but under neath they were in total panic mode, there hearts were beating out of their chests but they managed to keep it all together.
“That was the second time we’ve been lucky, I hope we don’t need to be lucky again as we are bound to run out at some point,” said Tim.
Sarah looked at the Sat Nav and said, “only one more hour and we will be safe at Howard’s.”
“I hope so,” replied Tim.
With fifteen km’s to go they turned right into Paddock Rd.
“Not long to go now, lets hope he is home,” said Tim.
“Lets hope he is helpful, he might tell us to clear off,” replied Sarah.
“Anything is possible but I have known him a long time and I think we will get a worm welcome,” said Tim.
“Even if he has seen the media reports about you,” replied Sarah.
“One, he wouldn’t believe them and two, he probably hasn’t seen them, he does live of the grid,” said Tim.
The road was bitumen but narrow and pot holey so progress was slow. The country side was scrubby bush but it had a sort of wild charm about it that appealed to Tim.
It was not long before the Sat Nav said, “your destination in 500 metres on the left.”
Tim turned into Howard’s driveway, there was an artistic looking mail box which court Tim’s eye, it was made from a twenty litre drum, but it was made to look like a pig. Tim stoped, got out of the car and checked its contents, his letter was there so he took it but left the rest of the mail. He walked back to the car and handed the letter to Sarah who put it in the glove box.
“That is a bit of luck, we want have to tell Howard about our problems, assuming he hasn’t already heard about them,” said Tim.
“We are using up that luck,” replied Sarah.
There was no gate so Tim just drove on following the dirt track through the scrub. Howard had told Tim about his driveway and how it was unpassable during prolonged bad weather and that his house was just over one km off the road. The driveway was in good condition so Tim had no problems negotiating it. After a short period of time they could see Howard’s house in the distance, it looked very picturesque and just what Tim was expecting.
Howard had sent Tim photos of his house and land over the years but photos never show the real picture. Tim followed the driveway, which took them to the side of the house, and stoped in front of a large shed. The house was old school, the sort of design you would see in rural areas of the forties, high pitched roof, verandas front and rear and a stone chimney at one end. It looked old world but was built around fifteen years ago.
A figure appeared in the door way of the shed, it was Howard, he looked surprised as it was not very often that he had visitors. Tim got out of the car and waved before calling out, “Hey Howard old mate.”
Howard looked confused for a brief moment before he recognised Tim, he then said, “Tim you old bastard.”
Tim walked toward the shed greeting Howard with a hand shake and said, “how are you?”
“What are you doing here?” asked Howard.
“Are you know,” replied Tim.
Sarah got out of the car waved and walked towards them.
“You remember Sarah, you met her at our school reunion,” said Tim.
Howard looked at Tim and back at Sarah and said, “yer I remember but I thought you two split up.”
“We did,” replied Sarah, and the added, “but here we are.”
“Come in the house and meet my,” he paused for a moment before continuing, “newish partner.”
They walked through a rickety gate, along a path to the back door of Howard’s house.
Standing at the back door was a tall slim woman, she was wearing a long colourful dress reminiscent of the 60’s.
“Carrol,” said Howard, he then continued, “this is Tim, an old school friend and his friend Sarah.”
“Hi, Howard has talked about you,” said Caroll, she then added, “come in.”
They all went into the house, into the kitchen and sat around the kitchen table. The kitchen was very old world, a gas stove as well as a wood stove, stain glass doors on the cardboards and wooden shelves. The only thing that looked modern was the fridge.
“What brings you to this part of the world?” asked Howard.
“We just needed to get away so we thought, why not go on a road trip and visit some old friends,” said Tim.
“How long have you been on the road?” asked Howard.
“Three days,” replied Tim.
“Would you like a cup of tea?” asked Caroll.
“I would love a cup of coffee,” replied Sarah.
“While you two are drinking tea and coffee, Tim and I will do a tour of the estate,” said Howard.
“Now that sounds like a good idea,” replied Tim.
Caroll started making coffee while Howard and Tim went outside. Howard and Tim climbed into an old Land Rover, and heading off around the property. As they drove passed the front of the house Tim waved at Sarah who was sitting on the front veranda drinking coffee with Caroll.
“Boys will be boys,” said Caroll as the Land Rover passed by.
“Wouldn’t have it any other way,” replied Sarah.
Tim and Howard were away touring the property for a little over an hour while Caroll and Sarah got to know each other. Howard was well set up with a comfortable home, a good size shed and the property was large enough that he nearest neighbour was a long way off. The property had a number of wind turbines on it which generated enough income to keep Howard above water.
On there return and as they got out of the Land Rover Tim asked Howard, “any chance of a bed for the night?”
“I have just the place,” replied Howard, he then added, “follow me and I’ll show you.”
Tim and Howard walked around the back of the shed and Howard explained, “a few years back I had a go at air B & B but it was too much like hard work so I gave it up but I ended up with this.” Howard pointed at a small Granny Flat style building and said, “that should do, its got all the comforts of home.”
They walked up to the front door, opened it only to find Caroll and Sarah making the bed.
“Well great minds think alike,” said Howard.
“A tour of the property is not complete without a tour of the shed,” said Tim.
Howard and Tim wandered of to look around the shed, while Sarah and Caroll watched them walk away.
“Men and their sheds,” said Sarah.
“Boys and their toys,” replied Caroll.
“Look at those two, they have not seen each other in two years and its like their twenty one again,” said Sarah.
“I have not kept up with old friends,” said Caroll.
“Nor I, I think it’s a bloke thing,” replied Sarah.
The rest of the afternoon and well into the night Tim and Howard reminiscing about their younger days telling tall tails about their shared adventures. Sarah and Caroll listened and wondered just how true the stories were. Towards the end of the night Sarah and Caroll went to the kitchen to make that last cup of tea.
“You know Sarah, I have learnt more about Howard in the last few hours then in the last twelve months of living with him,” said Caroll.
“Tell me about it, its like pulling teeth, strong silent types, may be that’s what we like about them,” replied Sarah.
It was just on mid night when they headed off to bed.
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