The Big Move – Not synonymous with bowel process

Seriously, a trip that isn't even 5 minutes down the road shouldn't feel like a big move, but the shenanigans were ridiculous.

We'll rewind a little bit to Saturday. Saturday I spent the better part of the day talking head over heels with Jenny, happily making her giggle like a school girl, blush like a tomato, and smile like the top of her head was going to fall off.

Thankfully, it didn't fall off. It would've made things a little awkward having half a head to kiss when she gets here.

Sadly, I had to leave a little early. I still had things to pack and it's hard to do two things at once. (Shaddup, I’m a male). Bits and bobs were thrown into boxes at quick haste while my clothes were washed and dried for the last time until Dee gets a dryer.

The evening came and I was running late for Girl Clumsy's birthday. I knew that because I got to the station, looked at my pocket watch to check the time (cos i'm classy like that) and found it was 7pm. I suspected I wouldn't get to her party on time, but I didn't suspect that I would be so late as to get there at 9.

Sidenote: The walk from South Bank station to the Gabba is longer than one would think.

So I arrived at 9, was informed the party was upstairs and enjoyed the remainder of the best dressed competition. Everyone was looking snazzy in their suits and their costumes. The person that really stood out was the Roger Moore space suit, who coincidentally won the Best Dressed competition.

This was also where I saw Trish. It'd been a while since I last saw her, and I think it was before she had discovered that she was sick. So with all the kemo, she has gone wig shopping. And at first I didn't recognise her, just this nice blonde lady trying to attract my attention.

Then the competition dispersed and I made my way to see Girl Clumsy before realising that I forgot to ask Trish something.

“Hey Trish, is there a bar tab going on at all?”
“You just missed it”

Blast. I felt a little nervous and awkward there mostly because I hardly knew anyone, aside from one or two names that had cropped up. Dan Beeston was one of these names. I'd heard it several times in the past, and when he approached me near the end of the night as I texted Jenny, he was a little surprised to find that I knew of him. I should've said “I'm a private investigator” but instead used “I'm telepathetic... Oh and I saw you at the best dressed comp.”

After finding out about how I missed the bar tab, I approached Girl Clumsy who was happy to see me and gave her a present from myself and Jenny. I had a pack of Bond Cards which were battered up (I've had them for a while) and Jenny gave me a large bag of Hersheys Chocolates for her. She was ecstatic as she turned over the bag to find out what it was.

Apologies to Girl Clumsy if the chocolates are a little/a lot melted/shattered/deformed. They've been hiding in a pocket in my bag since I got back from the US.

It was a good night. I spent my time as the gaming room around the Poker Players, the hardly touched Roulette set, and the Wii Mario Cart. A fellow named Anthony and his (What I assume) girlfriend sat down across from me and we played our own version of Roulette, and most of the game was spent trying to bet the right colour between red and black, along with being confused by the words on the cloth mat that acted courageously as our French Roulette Table.

Eventually another fellow (Who's name I've completely forgotten but I know his face because it's very unique with long hair) came along and we all gave up on Roulette and played cards, and he ran us through a variety of different card games. There was only one that we didn't play, and that was because the entire thing involved betting your right to be nude, and he told us a story about one of his mates who would always get naked so it was hard to bluff him.

The table players changed eventually and we ran through a few games of poker, with a few interesting characters whom I didn't get the name of, not even the fellow who introduced himself to me.

The night went on, various tunes to the theme of James Bond playing in the background, along with film of Jurassic Park on one of the tellies, and eventually after catching up a little with Arian we drifted off home.


Now that night, I had a few drinks. Just Strongbows original (they didn't have anything better) and for some reason I did actually get a little pished. Not anything serious, but just enough to give that woozy feeling as I went to bed, a rather long and heavy slumber, and that parched taste when I woke up. It was only about 4 or 5 drinks (I found had $30-something laying about in shrapnel and notes!) and I had to drink to get rid of the nerves that really kicked me in the pants last night.

But after not having drunk for so long, I guess I get a little vulnerable to the sauce for now. All well, cheap drunk means I'll be under the table with Jenny.

But this was the day for the big move. I had most everything packed, a few bits and bobs still floating about, and still the plates and bowls to pack (Which are being done tonight). Just a matter of getting the ute... and someone to drive with me.

Now I have my learners, which is somewhat embarrassing at the age of 24, but I don't really care. I can't afford lessons, and there's nobody available to really drive with. So I have good excuses. But that doesn't mean I can't drive.

There was a simple plan. Dee would join me and help with the heavy lifting and I'll drive with her in the passenger seat. No worries. But I give her a call and she says that she was expecting later in the afternoon, and so had made a date with her partner. Fair enough. I call up mum and see if she trusts me to drive and have her in the passengers seat. Nup. But she would let my brother-in-law, who can't do any heavy lifting because his back has been shot to shit, sit in the car with me while she follows.

*Sigh* righto. We'll run with that. Then I get a message from Dee saying that she can do it but later in the arvo. Fair enough, call mum back and ask her to cancel the plan. I'll be coming over to hang out until Dee is done with her date.

Come 4pm, about the time that Dee's movie finishes, I get a text saying she's in Personal Drama Central. Right. Today won't all go to pot. I'll still grab the keys and give her the cash bond that I have for her as mum drives me back to my old place.

I get there, knock on the door and she's out the back with Cranny. Apparently the Drama is all done and she can help me now. *Sigh* Cool cool. Now for the fun part.

After a short tour of the townhouse, showing off bits and pieces like awesome sliding drawers and a nice fridge, a built in oven and stove top, and a hidde away dishwasher, we make our way back to mums to grab the ute, an '88 Toyota Hilux.

“It's a deathtrap!” exclaimed Dee as she simply stared at it.
“It works,” I retort as I climb into the car.
“I'm not pushing it.”

Now the problem with this car is that it hasn't been treated very well. It's a little rusty, the bench seat is slowly tearing apart and the foam is bringing up plumes of dust, and the gearbox is a little worn out. That is to say, trying to get into gear is no simple task. As far as I know, the linkages have gotten a bit too worn out and it's hard to get parts for it. So just some oiling and they're fine so long as you get some practice in.

Now I haven't had much practice with this car, but as the night went on, it got better and better. Just have to get used to the Roo-hopping, and get a bit more practice with reversing. Otherwise, I thought I was pretty good and so did Dee, which is nice because she didn't die from fear.

After finishing at about 9:30, I started assembling my bed and Dee toddled off to her own bed to crash herself. After some other fiddling about, I got enough done to go to sleep so I could actually sleep before work tomorrow.