Moving On…

Jeff walked from room to room in the quiet house. He’d been born here and his mum had died here. Now Harry had died as well, leaving Jeff all alone. Greg was long gone, taking up an offer of head gardener in the Botanical gardens in Perth. He’d asked Jeff to go with him, but back then he still had Harry to look after, and besides, he was a Sydneysider through and through having spent his entire life in that little house in Paddington.

Now there was nothing left but memories, most of them happy, but some of them sad. He walked down the steps from the kitchen out into the tiny back yard and sat down in the swing seat. He looked over to the brown and shrivelled tomato plants. Harry could never get them as good as his brother did, and since he’d gone Jeff just couldn’t be bothered.

He sat there for what seemed a lifetime, a can of VB t his feet, thinking. He couldn’t believe what was going on in his head. He was actually thinking of leaving Sydney. He felt there was nothing left for him now. His dad was gone, Greg had flown west, and he never went to the Prinny anymore. He couldn’t face waling in the Botanical gardens without Harry. Hell, he didn’t even play footy anymore. Yes, he really was thinking of shooting through.

The following morning he was up bright and early. He made himself some Vegemite on toast, had a shower, making sure to turn the tap off nice and tight, then managed to find some clean clothes, he must do the laundry, and headed out to the CBD. He went into the first real estate office he came to and put his little house on the market. His next stop was to pick up some boxes from a removalist, and then it was back home to set to work.

By lunchtime the house was transformed. He had put everything he didn’t want to keep in Harry’s old room, and the boxes were full of the personal things he couldn’t bring himself to part with. He marvelled at the fact that his entire life was packed away in just four boxes that would easily fit in the back of his Ute. He made himself some lunch and took it outside to eat in the back yard. He was going to miss this place, he mused, but it was time to move on…start a new life for himself, but where?

Finishing his sandwich, he picked up his plate and went back into the kitchen to rinse it off. He then turned to his bedroom to get his dirty clothes ready to wash. As he was piling things into the machine, he looked at one of his vest tops. It was a favourite of his and was now threadbare and faded. It had an embroidered logo on the front…Coff’s harbour…he hadn’t been up there in yonks. Maybe he should take a trip up country and get a new vest…maybe he should take a trip up country, period.

Coff’s Harbour…he’d had some good times up there when he was younger. He remembered trips with some of the boys from the Prinny, and earlier ones with his olds. His mind was made up. He was going to the Big Banana. He picked up the phone to call a house clearance company, and they told him they could be there first thing in the morning. That would give him time to finish the laundry and the rest of his packing before they came to empty the place.

The next morning found Jeff with a nice cheque in his hand and an empty house. He took one last walk through every room, stopping last in Harry’s.

He jumped in his Ute and drove away for the very last time. He stopped off at the real estate office to hand over the keys, and to make sure they had his cell phone number, telling them that he was heading up state and would give them an address when he had one. They assured him that the house wouldn’t be on the market for long, and were confident they would get the full asking price for it.

He had one last stop to make before heading north…the cemetery. Sitting on the edge of the double plot, he looked at the headstone. "Well, Harry. I know you’re happy with mum now, and that you’re keeping an eye on me. Hope you don’t mind me selling the house. It wasn’t the same without ya…it’s time for me to move on. I’m not going far, just upstate a bit. I’m thinking about Coff’s. Remember the good times we used to have? Kiss mum for me, ya old bastard. Luv ya, dad." He got up and placed two kisses on the headstone, turned, and walked away.

Never one to keep within the speed limit, he made it to Coff’s in just under 7 hours. He stopped at the RSA for a drink and a bit to eat and heard a couple talking about a new community being built just inland. That sounded interesting. A new community to start his new life in. He wondered if they might need a good plumber. He walked over and asked for directions, and was soon back in his Ute. 30 minutes later he pulled up outside an inviting building called Millie’s. He got slowly out of the car, realising for the first time just how tired he was, and walked into the boarding house.

Steve was on duty at reception. "Hi, can I help you?" he asked.

"G’Day. Mate. Wouldn’t mind a room, if you have one going."

"I think we can manage that. You just visiting?"

"Not too sure yet. I’ve just driven up from Sydney. In the process of selling my place down there and starting a new life." He held out his hand to Steve. "Name’s Jeff Mitchell. Ya think there might be call for a plumber around here?" he smiled.