Touch Of Country
From the road he could see the Cafe, and his Heart dropped. It was going to be more work than he thought. He should have looked it over before jumping in and purchasing it so quickly.
Well, it was too late now! Darren was now broke, and the proud owner of a sad looking Country Road-Side Cafe.
He would take a better look after dropping off his luggage and collecting the keys.
The taxi took the next driveway. The sharp gravel crackled and crunched under the wheels, and Darren watched with interest as the sprawling Country home came into view.
In comparison to his Cafe next door, it was a stately thing of Beauty. And he would be living here for the time being. It lighted his heart. He just hoped the inside was as nice and would provide him with a comfy bed and some relaxation.
All timber, whitewashed and elegant. The gabled roof of Grey Iron shone in the midday sun. It was encircled by a wide veranda, with posts running vertically up to the decorative fretwork at the top.
Garden beds, of shrubs and flowers lined the drive and front of the house. A sprinkler system of small jets dotted the lush green grass of the lawn, sending rainbow sprays of water into the air. The combined coolness of the water and slight breeze bringing some relief from the heat of the day.
The Driver unloaded his bags from the boot, took his payment in cash, then giving a wave left him alone on the drive.
Taking a moment Darren absorbed his surrounds. The smell of wet grass and flowers made him smile.
The sounds were more interesting. Are there was a lot of them. Bird song had his glancing up at the trees. He watched as brightly coloured Parrots, flitted amongst the branches of tall Eucalypts, calling to their mates. He wondered if he hunted those branches long enough, he might spot a Koala. He had never seen one up close.
The sounds that he couldn’t make out, from the front of the house, he presumed must be the Animals, some way off around the back.
He had been told this was a working farm and presumed they would have a lot of animals. Listening again, he thought he could make out the clucking of Chickens, the bleating of Goats or Sheep, and the mooing of a few Cows.
The sound of Purring had him looking down at his feet. A large Ginger Tabby rubbed against his leg happily. His startled mind relaxed, as he came to the conclusion he wouldn’t be in danger of this fur-ball, and bent to give its head a pat. - ‘Hello to you too!’ - He might find a welcome friend in this Cat. He had never had a pet.
He dragged his cases up the few steps and across the Veranda to the front door. The Wide Green wooden door was open, held back against the wall by a heavy looking Iron Boot scraper.
Darren could see through the fly screen, that the house was quiet and seemed empty. He knocked waited and knocked again. No one was about.
Trying the knob, he pushed open the screen door with a squeak of the hinge. Leaving his luggage, he stepped through. - ‘Hello!’ - He called out loudly - ‘Anyone Home?’
The interior of the House was old fashioned, cute and cheery. Antique wooden furniture, Lace curtains. Nick-Nacks and Photo frames. Landscape paintings hung on every wall. Colourful cushions on plush looking couches.
On one such couch, another Cat sat looking at him. A Small Grey cat with one eye seemed to wink at him. Bored with him, it lay down and promptly went to sleep.
This house seemed to be the style of an elderly person to Darren’s way of thinking. Not the sleek modern, minimalist style he was used to.
But it worked, and it did have its charm. It looked comfortable and inviting. The air was fresh, the large rooms had windows flung open to let in the air. Fans dotted the ceilings, an obvious modern addition, that was a contrast to the fancy Paster Mouldings, and fluted glass lights.
The huge Fireplace at the end of the Main Living Area, took his interest, and Darren wandered over to run a hand over the rough sandstone surface. This was certainly an impressive feature, he could just imagine sitting here on a cold winter night, with a Coffee or Whiskey.
Where was the Owner? Darren had been told to expect a Male Farmer but not much else. He had just been grateful to have a place to stay while he fixed up the Cafe.
At the back of the house, he stepped out through another screen door to the rear Veranda, then took a whistling intake of breath.
Leaning on the railing he took in the Massiveness of this property. Fences ran like train-tracks, criss-crossing the landscape. Paddock’s contained various crops, Livestock and even what he assumed was an Orchard.
The rear of the property seemed to tilt downwards to what he assumed might me a stream or River. A line of Weeping Willow Trees obscuring it from sight.
The border of the property was lined with more tall Eucalypts and Gums, and shrubs of all descriptions, some flowering and some just offering a shade of different hues of green.
From here he could just make out the rear of the cafe, and the water tank attached.
Closer to the back of the House, was a Chicken Coop and the Biggest Vegie Garden Darren had ever seen. He could make out various Herbs too and was delighted. These would be very handy for his cooking.
A Dog barked then and he could make out a figure walking towards the house from behind a Huge Shed and Tractor.
As the figure came closer, he could make out a Man wearing Blue Overalls, his stride was long, steady and determined. A Cattle Dog at his side, and a tiny scrap of Ginger Fur, held in his hand.
Darren’s eyes widened, as he drew ever closer. This Man was not what he had expected.
It seemed his Host was a strikingly Handsome Young man. With a bright smile, and surprisingly, and impressively, around the size of a ‘TRUCK!’
