8.00 am to 8.10 am - Wednesday 17th June 2015
I went to the key rack and realized the key on the little Spaceman key ring was missing. Panic set in! It was the key to the neighbour’s house and there was a hungry cat called Myrtle waiting to be fed.
Our neighbours Geoff and Wendy often take holidays, either overseas or skiing the Australian Alps. Over the years a few of their pets have needed care at these times. One memorable pet was Wendy’s sister’s dog, an ageing kelpie which had to be put down because it insisted on biting Wendy after its owner died. There were usually two caged birds, some variety of canary.
Recently Geoff asked me if I would look after the current list of pets – Myrtle the cat and some birds - while he and Wendy took a trip to Far North Queensland.
The travelling arrangements were for Wendy and Geoff to fly to Cairns, take possession of a four wheeled drive and rendezvous with other people of the same age from our town. The touring party included a medical doctor, registered nurse, midwife and a motor mechanic/ steel fabricator and others. Once the group had familiarized themselves with the tasks ahead they were to set off inland heading for the Carnarvon National Park. Their ultimate aim, to reach the tip of Cape York.
I did not anticipate seeing them for six weeks.
Three weeks into Geoff and Wendy’s holiday I had set into a routine of feeding animals, collecting the mail, putting out the red and yellow bins full of rubbish accumulated before they went away and watering specific plants.
Wednesday morning came around. After I had done the chores I headed over to the key rack to get the key so that I could feed Myrtle. Catastrophe struck. To my astonishment the key with the Spaceman key ring was not on its hook!
The hunt was on! Thoughts rushed through my head…
If I cannot find the key in the next three minutes I will have some explaining to do! Where did I last see it? Did I do something with it after I fed Myrtle last night? What was I wearing?
Frantically I checked behind the refrigerator as the key rack is next to the kitchen fridge.
How am I going to feed the hungry Myrtle? What if Myrtle is trapped in Geoff and Wendy’s house and dies for lack of food? What will the smell be like? What will the neighbours think if I can’t look after a cat and a couple of birds? There would be no hope of being asked to do anything in future that carries any responsibility!
My partner arrived back from her early morning walk and asked all of the appropriate questions regarding the key. She asked what I wore last time I used the key. I looked in the jacket from the day before but no key.
Then we remembered! It started to become clear. On Wednesday it had rained, so I did not wear my normal jacket but a rain coat. There it was in front of me in the hall cupboard. By 8.10 am I had the Spaceman key ring in my hand.
Ten minutes later Myrtle was fed and I felt greatly relieved!
I went to the key rack and realized the key on the little Spaceman key ring was missing. Panic set in! It was the key to the neighbour’s house and there was a hungry cat called Myrtle waiting to be fed.
Our neighbours Geoff and Wendy often take holidays, either overseas or skiing the Australian Alps. Over the years a few of their pets have needed care at these times. One memorable pet was Wendy’s sister’s dog, an ageing kelpie which had to be put down because it insisted on biting Wendy after its owner died. There were usually two caged birds, some variety of canary.
Recently Geoff asked me if I would look after the current list of pets – Myrtle the cat and some birds - while he and Wendy took a trip to Far North Queensland.
The travelling arrangements were for Wendy and Geoff to fly to Cairns, take possession of a four wheeled drive and rendezvous with other people of the same age from our town. The touring party included a medical doctor, registered nurse, midwife and a motor mechanic/ steel fabricator and others. Once the group had familiarized themselves with the tasks ahead they were to set off inland heading for the Carnarvon National Park. Their ultimate aim, to reach the tip of Cape York.
I did not anticipate seeing them for six weeks.
Three weeks into Geoff and Wendy’s holiday I had set into a routine of feeding animals, collecting the mail, putting out the red and yellow bins full of rubbish accumulated before they went away and watering specific plants.
Wednesday morning came around. After I had done the chores I headed over to the key rack to get the key so that I could feed Myrtle. Catastrophe struck. To my astonishment the key with the Spaceman key ring was not on its hook!
The hunt was on! Thoughts rushed through my head…
If I cannot find the key in the next three minutes I will have some explaining to do! Where did I last see it? Did I do something with it after I fed Myrtle last night? What was I wearing?
Frantically I checked behind the refrigerator as the key rack is next to the kitchen fridge.
How am I going to feed the hungry Myrtle? What if Myrtle is trapped in Geoff and Wendy’s house and dies for lack of food? What will the smell be like? What will the neighbours think if I can’t look after a cat and a couple of birds? There would be no hope of being asked to do anything in future that carries any responsibility!
My partner arrived back from her early morning walk and asked all of the appropriate questions regarding the key. She asked what I wore last time I used the key. I looked in the jacket from the day before but no key.
Then we remembered! It started to become clear. On Wednesday it had rained, so I did not wear my normal jacket but a rain coat. There it was in front of me in the hall cupboard. By 8.10 am I had the Spaceman key ring in my hand.
Ten minutes later Myrtle was fed and I felt greatly relieved!
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