I manage to find the right train & remember to get of at the right station for my local bus connection & even timed the pressing of the bell on the bus so that I was dropped off directly across the street from home.
I knew that I was going to be in big trouble, I was supposed to be home by midday for lunch, it is now just after 4 pm, mum is going to be furious & then I have to explain how I got the big goose egg on the side of my head.
The front door is locked, that's unusual, normally just the screen door would be locked, no response to my tentative knocks so I go around the back & knock loudly on the back door, still no response.
I go to the garage & find the spare key in its usual hiding place, let myself in & find a note on the kitchen table.
So sorry Les but Graham & I have had to take an urgent trip to Dalby as your sister has not been well & is currently in Dalby hospital.
Your lunch is in the fridge, you just have to heat it up on the stove, we probably won't be back until the end of the week, there is some money in the big cookie jar on top of the kitchen cabinet, Barry will tell you more when he gets home from work....Love mum.
Crickey, can this day possibly get any worse?
My head is absolutely throbbing so I don't worry about heating up lunch, just go straight to the bathroom, find some pain killers & crash into my bed.
It's about 7 pm when I finally wake up & stagger into the kitchen.
Barry is there, having tea with his girlfriend ( Karen )
What in the hell happened to you?
I tell them the story.
Both Barry & Karen examine the back of my head & marvel at the size of the goose egg on the side of my head.
Barry suggests that I go & have a shower while we heat you up some tea & then i'll tell you what's going on with Diane.
You look much better after having that shower & by the way that you are scoffing down that meal, I think your ok, we'll give you some more pain killers before you go to bed unless of course you would prefer a beer?
Well those pain killers are pretty weak, i'll have a beer thanks.
Is it ok if I use the phone, I promised Gary that I would ring him when I got home.
Anne - Marie answers & I immediately go weak at the knees, she was one of those women who had a gorgeous tone on the phone but more importantly she expressed genuine concern about my well being before handing me over to Gary.
Gary was also sincerely happy to hear from me, he was in his late twenties so probably about twelve years older than me but we just seemed to connect.
He absolutely refused my offer to repay the $5 that he had given me but did ask if I could help him out.
He & Anne - Marie had just purchased their first home at a suburb that was only about 15 minutes from my place & he would appreciate some help with the moving.
We are already mostly moved in but if I can pick you up on Saturday & you can help me with the last couple of loads, well, that would be great.
More than happy to do what I can, Gary, & that was the beginning of a life long friendship.
Then Barry explains the situation with Diane, your sister has not been well, she is hospital because they have been running tests.
They confirmed this morning that she has bowel cancer & it is terminal.