Puppy Pie (15 page)

‘Oh, yes, of course,' Helen says heavily. ‘I know it's not your fault.'

‘And of course,' the bank manager continues, ‘there will be an auction the day after the bank forecloses.'

Helen stands there stunned.
An auction the day after? But why? Isn't this happening far too quickly?

The bank manager continues smoothly, ‘Don't worry about me, Mrs Hepplewhite. I know my way out. And I can see your pictures as I pass along.'

‘Oh, yes,' Helen says vaguely waving her hand towards the front of the house. ‘You know where the pictures are.' Helen turns around and, still stunned, walks slowly back to the kitchen and out the screen door into the sunlight. At the same time, the bank manager walks lightly along the hallway. Gull hears the bank manager strolling along the hall.

Next, she hears a burst of surprised laughter. She peers around the corner of the lounge room door. The bank manager is standing in front of Gull's latest find from the attic. He giggles as he stands in front of the photo. ‘Not long now,' he whispers to the photo. ‘Not long now.' Then, to Gull's astonishment, he does a little dance in front of the photo, stops suddenly and rushes out the front door.

As soon as Gull hears the bank manager drive off, she runs into the kitchen looking for Helen. Through the screen door, she sees her walking aimlessly backwards and forwards in front of the big shed. Gull runs up to her and sensing Helen's distress, leads her gently back to the kitchen and guides her to a kitchen chair that she slumps into. Gull quickly gives her a glass of water that she drinks without thinking.

‘Helen?' Gull asks anxiously leaning over her. ‘What's wrong?'

‘The bank manager,' Helen replies in a daze. ‘He's all wrong.'

‘Right!' Gull sighs as she patiently waits for Helen to explain. Suddenly, Helen shakes her head vigorously and sighs.

Gull tries again. ‘But what happened, Helen? What did he say?'

Helen sighs raggedly. ‘He's calling in the overdraft.'

Gull pulls out another chair and sits down heavily. ‘Oh! But what does that mean?'

Helen takes another sip of the water. ‘Well, she says, ‘unless we can pay the overdraft back in two weeks, the Bank's going to foreclose.'

‘Which means?'

‘We'll lose the Folly.'

Chapter 8

‘What?' Gull shouts in surprise.
‘Lose the Folly? But you can't!'

‘We could,' Helen sighs raggedly. ‘The Bank holds the Deeds against the overdraft. That's why Harry wants to pay the overdraft as soon as we can. He hates owing money. We would be paying the money back as soon as the cheques started coming in.'

‘How long before they do start coming in?'

‘Too long,' Helen sighs. ‘First, you've got to process the hemp and then sell it to the highest bidder at auction. But there's no way we can pay off the overdraft in two weeks. And then,' she adds quietly, 'the bank will hold its own auction the day after for the Folly.'

Gull looks puzzled. ‘But why?' Helen shrugs. ‘But the overdraft… Is it a lot? Like a big lot? More than, say, $3,000?'

‘Much more,' Helen says. ‘In fact, it's probably about ten times that amount.'

Gull thinks for a moment. ‘Thirty thousand dollars?' she gulps. ‘Even if I sell all the puppies, I couldn't make that much.'

‘Sell the puppies?' Helen repeats, staring at her. ‘Who said anything about selling puppies? No one would buy them anyway. They don't have any pedigrees.'

Gull hesitates. ‘Come with me,' she says to Helen shyly. ‘I want to show you something.' Together they walk into the lounge room and over to the computer.

Curious, the furry white mouse, is sitting in her cage on the desk. Clicking the hairless white computer mouse a few times, Gull brings up a picture of cute, cuddly puppies onto the screen.

‘That's our big shed,' Helen frowns. ‘And our puppies, all twenty-one of them. Don't they look sweet?'

‘Interested, Madam?' Gull asks light-heartedly. ‘Now, for you Madam,' she continues as if fitting Helen for a new outfit, ‘I suggest our French Poodle cross.'

She presses a button and immediately a video of playful puppies appears on the screen. Words appear beside the picture. Helen begins to read out loud: ‘Be the envy of your neighbours with your very own smart and watchful French Poodle cross, raised in a loving environment in the fresh country air. Place your order quickly: they won't last long. Come and spend a delightful weekend in the country and take home one of these adorable puppies as a memento of your time at Getalong. Just click here for further details and the very affordable price.'

As Helen sits mesmerised, picture after picture of different kinds of puppies appear across the screen. ‘So this is what you've been doing while you've been keeping an eye on me? Aren't you clever?'

Gull blushes. ‘I've been having fun,' she says. ‘And anyway, if things get rough, Harry can't make puppy pie.'

‘You don't really think he would, do you?'

‘You never know. Not that he'd want to, of course,' Gull adds.

Helen says. ‘Maybe you are doing the right thing, after all.'

‘What?'

Helen laughs despite herself. ‘No, no, I don't mean he really would make puppy pie. It's just that there would be less mouths to feed. Having Useless as the family pet is several hungry mouths rolled into one. Anyway, best to sell the pups while they're small and adorable, before people find out who their father is.' They both laugh.

‘They're back already,' Gull says standing up. ‘I can hear the ute.'

‘Oh, Gull, let's not mention the overdraft to anyone yet. I think it might be too much for Harry. And I don't want to worry my lot until I've thought things through.'

‘Okay, fine,' Gull nods. ‘Think I'll show them my “secret project” now. That should cheer them up. And then I'll see if I've got any bites.'

Running out to the ute, Gull helps them bring in the empty lunch baskets. ‘How'd you go?' Gull asks Lucy.

‘She's a natural,' Ted says as he climbs out of the ute. ‘She's a first class driver.'

‘Thanks, Ted,' Lucy beams. ‘I love it: I love the big gears, sitting up high, looking down on the poor, lowly workers,' she adds looking over at her brothers.

‘You're a worker too, you know,' Tom grumbles. ‘Just because you're sitting up high doesn't change the fact. Even the Queen on her throne is a worker.'

‘And how is my “queen bee”?' Helen asks joining them. ‘Come in, Ted. Mind you, you won't see much of Harry.'

‘Not still asleep?' Ted says.

‘Like a lamb! Oh, by the way, how are my brothers doing? Doris says they're camping at her place. Away from all the other “infectious” Harvesters.'

‘Ah yes!' Ted says. ‘Well, you know how “that woman” split the district?'

They all nod.

‘Well, guess what?'

Helen shrugs. ‘What?'

‘The same thing's happening on every farm. A few days into harvesting, the hemp starts to look a bit wobbly and not long after, it's beginning to fall over.'

‘So the problem isn't coming from here?' Helen says elated. ‘Well, that's good news.'

‘Sort of,' Ted murmurs. ‘It just means that there's more work for everyone else. Now we've got people camping on other people's doorsteps so they don't use petrol travelling around. It's as if every farm has become a motel, which does have its good side too. Everybody's got a common goal. People who probably haven't spoken to each other in years are now yarning and backslapping. It's great to see, if we all don't drop dead from exhaustion in the meantime.'

Helen and Gull give each other a quick look.

‘Shirley's contacting all the Pitt Street farmers from the city and seeing if they're able to do anything for us.'

‘Pitt Street farmers?' Gull repeats. ‘I didn't know there were any farms in Pitt Street. Is there enough room?'

Ted looks over at Gull and starts laughing. ‘That's what we call the weekend farmers, Gull. They only farm two days a week not eight days, like us.' He looks back at Helen. ‘And good old Doris is ringing around the other CWAs to see if they can come up and help because we need to transport the hemp as quickly as possible. Then it can go to auction and the cash can start flowing.' Ted stops and has a few sips of hot tea he's poured while speaking, and an Anzac biscuit. ‘Are you sure Harry's still asleep?' he asks. ‘Maybe I'll just go and check on him.' With that, he gets up and goes off to find Harry.

‘Come on everybody. I want to show you what I've been doing on the computer while you've been working so hard.'

Without another word, everyone follows Gull into the study. Curious watches closely from her cage as Gull sits down. Then with a twitch of the hairless mouse by Gull, the web page appears.

‘Oh!' Lucy exclaims. Helen laughs. ‘Mum, have you seen this already?' Helen and Gull look at each other, remembering the phone call.

‘Just before you arrived,' Helen says smoothly.

Tom grabs the mouse and starts scrolling through the different pictures. ‘They're moving,' he says.

‘They look so adorable,' Lucy sighs. ‘I wish they were mine. Oh,' she says laughing at herself, ‘they are.'

Jake grabs the mouse from his brother and clicks on the price. ‘One hundred and fifty dollars?' he yells. ‘You're kidding. No one in their right mind would pay that much for a mutt.'

‘Not from around here,' Gull agrees. ‘But what about the Pitt Street farmers? And their friends? And the tourists? Just think of the market when Getalong becomes well known.'

‘I can see it now,' Tom says in full flight. ‘Bigger than Canberra and no chance of going around in circles. Because there's just one road in and one road out. Getalong, puppy paradise of the nation.'

‘Where's your “off” switch, brother?' Jake asks tackling him. They roll around the floor in mock combat.

‘Hey,' Gull says suddenly, ‘I've got five hits already. And I only finished it this morning.'

‘What?' Tom and Jake yell scrambling up from the floor. Gull brings up the five enquiries one after the other.

‘They all want to know where to stay. What do I tell them?'

‘Tell them about Mrs Bailey's B&B. Hold on, I'll ring her and see if she's got space for the next few weekends,' Helen says dashing out to the phone. Within five minutes, she's back and grinning. ‘All set. She's got room for the next four weeks. Gull, did you know her son's the vet?'

‘Oh, I've already spoken to him,' Gull says pleased with herself. ‘He's going to bill us at the end for micro-chipping and inoculations.'

‘Well, his mum says she'll have a word with him too: she'll organise “mate's rates” for us.'

‘Huh?'

‘It's just that when you know somebody really well, you offer them a lower rate. We call it “mate's rates”.'

‘Yeah,' Tom says. ‘And,' he winks at his brother, ‘I think we should give you “mate's rates” too.'

‘Me?' Gull says surprised. ‘What for?'

‘Well, we're letting you sell our puppies aren't we?'

‘Yeah.'

‘So we won't charge you much for the honour of selling them.'

‘But the money's for you,' Gull frowns bemused.

‘See? That's what I mean. We could make much more money if we charged you too. After all, strictly speaking, they're our puppies. But we won't charge you that much,' Tom says.

‘But I thought it was the other way around.' Gull says looking bewildered. Helen and Lucy burst out laughing.

‘Tom's pulling your leg again,' Jake grins, trying not to laugh.

‘I wish I could get used to your teasing,' Gull sighs shaking her head.

‘No, don't. Please,' Tom begs. ‘I'm having fun.'

‘Well, I'd better answer these queries before they find other puppies,' Gull says turning back to the computer. ‘I'll have to give them directions on how to get here.'

‘I'll tell you the best way,' Helen says. And as Gull types it in, Helen describes the road to the Folly. ‘It'll be nice to be giving rather than receiving, for a change,' she adds, picturing the boxes of puppies left on the front step. ‘Oh, Jake, would you check on Harry? And ask Ted if he wants something to eat?'

Jake strolls into the bedroom. Ted is sitting by the bed filling Harry in on the day's events. Jakes wanders over to the bed. He looks down at his father, then up again at Ted.

‘Who are you talking to, Ted?'

‘Your father.'

‘But he's sound asleep.'

Ted sighs. ‘I know, Jake. I know. I just thought if I kept talking about what's going on, he might suddenly wake up.' He scratches his head absent-mindedly. ‘I must be pretty boring to have him sleep through everything I've said.'

Jake sits down on the bed. ‘Probably sleep until tomorrow morning,' Jake says. ‘He looks dead to the world.'

‘Yeah,' Ted nods, looking more tired than usual. ‘And the last thing we need is more calls from that bank manager.'

‘Huh?'

‘Oh, I suppose I shouldn't tell you but that Cyril what's-his-name saw Shirley. He's talking about calling in our overdraft in a few weeks. And having an auction the next day.'

‘Oh, no!'

‘I mean, the Bank knows we won't have the money from the sale of the hemp for at least a month. They were willing to wait before now. But suddenly there's all this urgency. Can't understand it myself. It's worrying Shirley no end: she's like a blowfly in a bottle she's that mad.'

‘Is Harry awake?' Helen asks walking in.

‘Nope,' Jake murmurs looking downcast. ‘Ted thought he'd try talking him into waking up. But it hasn't worked yet.' Jake looks at Ted. ‘Have you told Mum yet?' asks Jake.