The day the oil ran out (11)

I made plans to ride Slowy home and decided I would ring the Massey Pony Club and come up with the money once I made 400 bucks lawnmowing the neighbourhood berms.

Buffie had offered to express deliver a latte to the receptionist as thanks for all the horse manure she had taken over the years.

"How are you going to express deliver the latte when we can't drive our cars anymore?" I asked.

"Don't worry I've got some mad cyclists onto it," she replied. And sure enough one turned up right on cue in a racing lycra outfit.

"At your service, mademoiselle" said the mad cyclist.

It was Gilles from Woodside Garden! So this was his secret business. Gilles took the steaming hot latte and placed it in his pannier.

"Au revoir" he said, and rode off. He looked like he was training for the Tour de France.

Slowy and I started the trek home, while I kept a look out for my pink bike. I thought of ringing the police, but then thought maybe it will come back after it's been borrowed, like a good library book. I had taken the precaution of writing on it in a permanent marker "Selina's Bicycle. Please return to 41 Riverpark Crescent, Henderson. God Bless" just in case.

As we turned into my driveway, I saw dad waving a piece of paper and calling to me. "Can you check my powerball ticket on your ipad?" He said.

"Hold your horses, I mean donkeys" I said. "One thing at a time". I tied up Slowy to the gate and instructed her to nibble only our part of the 'berm' up to the box hedge. Then I went inside, dumped my library books, and reached for my ipad.

Dad was an incurable gambler, and spent $16 every week on these useless tickets that only ever won bonus tickets to buy more numbers. He was forever asking me to check them now I had this app on my ipad which meant we wouldn't need to go cross eyed hunting for numbers. He had been playing this silly game for over 30 years and we were always disappointed. I wish he could see that Sudoku was a much better numbers game and not one to give him false hope.  I placed the ticket under the scanner.

The day the oil ran out (10)

I named the Donkey 'Slowy' because she was slow.

She was obedient and stuck to the path but by the time I reached Korero Cafe it was near closing. Buffie was at the counter.

"Hi Selina fancy seeing you again!". Buffie was smiling as usual. But it might have been extra wide because she had another customer - me.

"I'm sorry Buffie there were no horses in the paddock. Will this donkey do?"

"I'm not sure about that" said Buffie "But don't worry, I found an even better mulch and fertiliser for the garden"

"What's that? Don't tell me you are installing a composting toilet."

Buffie reached behind the counter with a large sack. "As long as I have customers who like coffee, I will have a never ending supply".

She opened the sack.
Inside was something that looked like sawdust.

"It's coffee fluff" she explained. "It's wonderful! I throw it over everything and the plants really like it! Anyhow what can I get you?"

I presented Buffie with my hot drink voucher. "It's a latte for the Massey Pony Club lady. She won't give me a job unless I join up. But it costs like $425 to join".

"Really? Oh, stuff that. Come do some gardening, and you can work for free".

We both burst out laughing.
Slowy brayed. "It looks like Slowy's hungry" I said.

"By the way have you seen anyone riding off with my pink bike?"

"That might have been one of my PD workers. They like to "borrow" things".

We chatted for a while longer but I figured by the time I had got the latte back to Massey Pony Club it would be cold.  Buffie made me a hot chocolate instead while I pondered my next move. Slowy started nibbling the geraniums.

My next brainwave came along as I watched Slowy nibble. I could hire out Slowy as an organic lawnmower! And then my dad could use the petrol in his lawnmower to drive his car.

The day the oil ran out (9)

I didn't want to become a member and then have to pay to work as I had no money, and I wondered if this was it. I looked in my bag and there was my 'Horses for Dummies' book. Were all the horses out? I hadn't seen any on my walk toward the reception area.  I would have to tell Buffie no horse and no manure and she would be disappointed.

But I did have one thing, and it was a voucher for a free hot drink at Korero cafe.

Seeing I had nothing to lose except my dignity, I got the courage to say again to the reception lady, I can run and get you a coffee you look like you need it.

She looked a bit shocked but I said, for being so welcoming while you are so busy it's on me. What would you like - cappucino, flat white, latte?

Oh, latte if you don't mind.

One latte coming up. Be quicker if I had a horse but it's only down the road.

She said sorry all our horses are out but...there is a donkey in the far paddock you could ride.

I'll take the donkey.

The day the oil ran out (8)

Are you a member?
A lady eyed me suspiciously at the reception desk. She was sitting behind a computer, and it looked like she had just finished scrolling down a Facebook page. She had a squint in her eye and itchy fingers.

Um no..I'm here about a job.

Not another job hunter. The circular file is now full. She muttered.

I didn't understand what she meant by the circular file. I pressed on..can I see your manager?

No, she's out. You didn't park in the leased carpark did you? That's for members.

No, I walked. um..hey, you look like you need a coffee break.

Tell me about it, she said. But I must get this work done.

Well, I could make you a coffee and bring it to your desk? I suggested.

The reception lady gave me a look like I was mad.  She was now debating whether to employ me so she could do more work. But instead she changed tack and said if you want to be a member it's $425 a year, the forms are over there. Fill out an application form and we will get back to you. Then you can join our working bees.

Then she went back to her Facebook page.

The day the oil ran out (7)

Not to be outdone by a thief I stowed my books into my bag and trudged onward to the Massey Pony Club. 
I don't understand why the Massey Pony Club is in Ranui, I thought to myself. Shouldn't it be named Ranui Pony Club? There better be some ponies there. 

Upon reaching the entrance I hiked over the turnstile. Did it matter I was not a member? And that I only came here for the free horse manure? I was not in the age demographic to be taught pony riding skills. However sometimes children mistook me to be their peer, disbelieving me when I told them how old I really was. Perhaps, like me, one of the ponies had grown up and been put out to pasture. 

I looked around at the idyllic scene. Green fields and shady pine groves, with jumping bars and steeples dotted around the place. No ponies to be seen. I walked on to the stables and hall.

I had put in my CV my stint looking after animals at the Swanson Veterinary Clinic. That I was a long term member of the SPCA, and SAFE, and fundraiser for Lonely Miaow. Granted, none of these were pony related but I thought it might be more relevant than saying I had worked at my Uncle's Chinese Takeaway, feeding the masses who were too lazy to cook their own dinners. 

Dear Lord, I prayed. Please let there be a job for me here. My Dad cannot live on chips and ice cream forever. Also, whoever took my bike either repent or you have a special place reserved for bicycle thieves in hell!

The day the oil ran out (6)

I kept on my way to the Massey Pony Club, momentarily distracted by the Ranui Library. Well I had to go in, hadn't I? There might be a book to read!

I chained up my bicycle and walked through the doors. Bunny the librarian was at the desk. Seeing I wasn't a child, she didn't buttonhole me. No requests, but I always made sure I looked on the withdrawn trolley. Never know what you would find for 50 cents.

'Wendyl Nissen's granny recipes' hmm, makes a change from 'Bitch and Famous' I remarked to nobody in particular. There was also '50 Shades Darker' and 'The Dangerous Book for Girls'. Another, that looked appealing was called 'The Hunger Pains'.

Why can't there be a book on how to ride horses? I went upstairs to non-fiction.
I kept looking. Sure enough one popped out at me 'Horses for Dummies'. That will do.
I then checked out "I quit sugar!" (for Dad) and "Chinese Cinderella, a tale of an unwanted daughter' (for mum). "How to live off the smell of an oily rag" also looked promising.

I went back downstairs to check my books out when Librarian Linda came up to me and said is your bike the pink bike? I'm afraid it's been stolen. I saw a man riding off with it.

What? I thought I chained it up?!
Sure enough the chains had been chopped clear with bolt cutters. My bicycle was now in the wilds of Ranui with some man joy riding it, illegally.

That was just great. Linda looked at me and shrugged. "Desperate times call for desperate measures", she mused. "Are you ok to get home?"

I sighed, it would just take me longer with these books to carry, but I'll cope.
I guess I could report it to the police.

Linda looked sympathetic. I told her I would just find a horse at the pony club. Maybe they would loan me one in compensation.

Good luck, said Linda.

The day the oil ran out (5)

I peddle my pink bike out of the garage. I didn't deliberately choose this colour, the bike man at the bike shop chose it for me. However on the plus side, it means no boys would dare steal a pink bicycle.

I put on my helmet and face the road, now nearly completely empty of vehicles. Wow. I had never seen it like this before, and it's eerily quiet except for the faint sound of Mr Whippy in the distance.

Massey Pony Club. That's out west. I head in a westerly direction, toward the hills. On the way to Swanson Road I see someone walking along with a huge hat and she calls out to me.

"Hey Selina! Can I be in your story?"

I think to myself, hmm that's weird. How does she know I'm writing a story about this? Have I just broken past the wall? Am I experiencing the twilight zone that all athletes and runners do while running for any length of time before they collapse? But I'm only on Swanson Road! Perhaps I don't have enough water, am dehydrated and what I'm seeing is a mirage...

I peddle closer and see that it's Buffie, my garden tutor. She's smiling at me, but then she's always smiling. I don't have the gift of permanent smiling face expression. I'm wrinkling my brow trying to make my brain cells work.

"Hi Buffie! I'm sorry what did you just say?" I slow down right beside the foot path.
She repeats "Can I be in your story?"

Before I have time to formulate a considered answer I find myself saying "Sure! I'm heading to Massey Pony Club".
"Wow great minds think alike. I need some horse manure for the garden. I was thinking of getting some but its going to be hard yards hauling it without a vehicle"
"Well that's why I'm thinking of finding a job there, perhaps they can lend me a horse and then we could have horse manure all year round".
"Sounds like a good idea to me".
Buffie is still smiling. She then says "Sorry I can't stay chat but let me know and maybe we can sort something out. By the way are you into Game of Thrones monopoly?"

I say.."Uh not really, never heard of it. I'm more of a Scrabble person"
She says "It's an excellent game. You should try it sometime"
And then she waves me goodbye.

Huh. Random!