Here We Go Again - Chapter 88 - Broome Day 10

The toilet capsule light came on during the night requiring immediate attention in the early morning light. It’s not just the length of the walk to the dump point but also the dusty nature of the road between us and the front gate where the point is located that sees me load up “my little friend” as Forbsy is apt to call the canister in reference to those who would “walk” it on its wheels to the dump point and back.

Upon arriving at the dump point I am immediately blocked by a motorhome. Unwilling to wait in line, the driver comes around and blocks my path away from the point. Why some people have to impose their “I can’t wait” imperative on the rest of us, is beyond me. This guy is oblivious to the disruption he has caused, of course until I voice an opinion, and even then, all I get is a grunt as if I was the one to cause the issue. I wait in the Cruiser for him to move, resisting the urge to put the Cruiser bullbar through the side of his vehicle.

Not a good start to the day, which becomes even more frustrating as upon returning to the van, and needing to deal with the monthly BAS, I find MYOB have inflicted an upgrade on us. The upgrades may seem sound to programmers but for the “normal” bookkeeper (if I can call myself one of those), they slow the input to less than pedestrian. 

.

Already with the shackles on heat, this extra frustration seeks only to keep me at boiling point.

On completion of the bookkeeping and lodgement of the BAS, I look to check everything is right for the webinar we are presenting tonight. For some reason, I am unable to get the focus of the camera as sharp as I would like. I attempt to sort out the issue to no avail. It will have to do.

I need some “going out” time. The heckles have been at “full-on” all morning.

We need to go to Harvey Norma and pick up a cover for Robyn’s phone. That’s a good idea. We have had nothing but great experiences there. Perhaps that will help. 

Like before Chris has everything in its place and ready for us to collect.

Next stop Xanders for lunch. Ummm, a Long Island Iced Tea perhaps? Why not? That and something from their menu to change the direction of the day. Can’t be too relaxing with the libations. I do have to present in a webinar tonight.

I ordered the girls Pims and Lemonade. What arrives can only be described as fruit salad in a globulous glass. That with my Long Island Ice Tea makes for quite a table of wonder. Silver Leader simply has an alcoholic Ginger Beer. Not really playing the game is he?

It has been some time since I have heard from Broome Toyota. They are supposed to be calling me when back brake pads come into stock. They were expecting them on Monday. It’s now Thursday and no call. Robyn urges me to call and enquire as we are going to be leaving soon.

My call is nothing to give me any sort of confidence. Yes, the parts are in. Who are you again? You have to be kidding. I tell the answerer of the call I want to speak to the gentlemen who I was dealing with at the time of my service. He is easily described and I am transferred to him. 

He, at least, remembers the conversation. What happens next breaks the straw on the camel’s back. Acknowledging he was to call me and slot me immediately in to have the pads replaced, he now wants to suggest I need to wait at least three weeks, the time their lead time presently is, to get a time. I see red and let him have a piece of my mind. 

When I picked up the vehicle he quite clearly suggested, the Cruiser would be placed at the head of a day of work because:

1. they had not finished the original service, and
2. having pointed out the issue as “urgent”

To now suggest we need to wait a further three weeks is just not happening. Seeing my anger he looks to “fit me in”. Can I be here at 7.30am on Monday morning?. Yes, that is not an issue.

Thinking everything is under control, I head out only to get a text from the dealership suggesting not to be there at 7.30am but 8.30am. Must be a typo surely. Given what happened when I dropped the Cruiser in originally, being second to book in only to have to wait until well into the afternoon for pick up, I am worried. But that is something for when I drop it in.

Here you have a business swamped by the demand of the covid induced domestic travellers, I am sure would be shouting long and loud in a supply downturn of potential clients. In a monopolistic marketplace where dealers demand through their name, funnelling clients to them because with naivety with local options, their abuse of their power is absolute. 

Time to head back for the webinar. 

Along the way we see a young local on a motorbike. No protective gear, no helmet, no attempt to obey any road rules as to speed or the use of the road. He bounces along the footpath, flat out, tail wagging through the dust where the concrete ends. One suspect as Silver Leader is oft to say – may just be a temporary Australian.

The day’s frustrations are not finished as yet. 

Registrations for the webinar have been less than expected. Our marketing has been stilted due to outside factors. That aside, the presentation of our webinar should not suffer. 

There appears to be no one online. Then I get a message from a potential attendee asking why we have not commenced the webinar, on time like we usually do. Odd, we are here. 

What is going on? There are people contacting us saying they are in a waiting room yet we cannot see them. Then the penny drops. One of my staff has sent out a link to a Google Meets meeting rather than the Zoom meeting. There will be retribution tomorrow when we review the webinar, but for now we need to get everyone in the same meeting as us.

Other than the mess up with the link, my laptop seems to have cleared up its focus and the rest of the webinar goes well.

As we finish up, we notice there is a blackout in the park. Other than the fridge being off, the battery has taken over and the blackout has gone unnoticed. The batteries are at 80% when we hit the sack. Hopefully the power will come back on during the night.