48 Hours
The last 48 hours have been a whirlwind. The day before yesterday I set out to complete at least two sets of financial statements and there associated tax returns and deliver them to the clients as well as make sure I was available to an old soldier to drive him to various ANZAC day activities around Greymouth and district. Earlier this month I lost a filling in a tooth and made an appointment to see a dentist. The booking clerk said that I the first emergency appointment was the 3rd of may and being the 10th of April and knowing that they are busy souls I accepted this. So my tasks set started the financial statements. And the pain from the tooth was getting worse.
I finished the statements and then took the dog with me for a ride to Westport to drop off the accounts and get some signatures of the tax returns. The first client I dropped the accounts off at is suffering from cancer and while working still does so around chemotherapy. I got the signatures and spend a little time afterwards saying to myself how thankful I was to be as I was and reflected on his steadfast resolve. I picked up a hitchhiker she told me the bus had left her with a 3 kilometre walk to the hostel and her pack was twice her size I dropped her at the hostel door. She patted my dog… my dog was pleased. I reflected that a dogs are happy souls who don’t need much. While travelling up the Coast Rd I decided to call in on a hermit client who Inland Revenue is getting upset with for not filing returns. The hermit has a simple life. He is a vegetarian who exists on mung beans who recycles his tea leaves by drying them out to reuse again. He lives in an old caravan with a canvas cover over it to stop the leaks. He always greets me with a smile and is one of the kindest souls I know. He wasn’t there and as I left his property I marvelled to myself about how you can live simply in live and reflected on his humility. I stopped often on the trip to let my little dog out of the car to have a run around. The dog showed the loyalty of always obeying me when asked to get back to the car rather than disappear into the bush. I reflected on the Dogs loyalty and its trust that it placed in me.
Westport
I then proceed to the next client to drop off the accounts in Westport. I talked with a client about life and business and plans for the future direction and we both noticed the tooth, the client seeing swelling and me with the pain. I reflected on this clients calmness and friendliness. While in Westport I took the opportunity to take in a yoga class. I arrived early at the class and asked if I could meditate early there. The instructor said yes. The bright and clean premises are a credit to Westport and represent the attitude of the proprietors to business. I reflected on their tenacity.
I then drove back to Greymouth stopping to let my loyal Dog out for a runaround. On one of the stops in a deserted car park, I woman was trying to get into her sleeper van as she had locked the keys in. I quietly opened her van door with skills learned from another life. She was thankful. I reflected on her courage as she still had a smile on her face despite her anguish.
I arrived home with tooth paid steadily getting worse. I got out my suit medals and shoes for ANZAC day and my partner gave me one of her codeine and I went to sleep. At just after midnight I got up with a massive sweat, I proceeded to the porch to cool down and collapsed in massive paid and about 5 minutes later I was able to get up…. My brunch coat was saturated, I include to go to the Doctor the next day once my obligations were completed.
Dawn
I got up at 4.00am early the swelling was greater. I went and fuelled up at 5.00am and then went to pick up my passenger for the day. The veteran I picked up was 80 and served two tours in Vietnam. Affected by injuries and lung infections with agent orange he is grateful that I make sure he can attend the ANZAC day events each year.
Respect
I attended dawn parade and while others commenced a day of talk rum and beer chasers I drunk my coffee. My passenger gave up alcohol 20 years ago… he consumed a couple of lifetimes of alcohol drinking a 40 oz of rum after each military operations he was on so did not need anymore! After dawn parade at the cenotaph, we had breakfast at the RSA and then when to the servicemen plot at the cemetery.
Everyone is Important
I took the opportunity to visit my fathers grave he died 16th October 1986 at the age of 52. I miss his countenance. My passenger visited his father’s grave as well. We then went to Greymouth Hospitals service. This was lead by an ex ARMY nurse and the guest speaker was a Quaker nurse who served in Vietnam by looking after refugees. The service is held in front of a memorial to one of the 3 Greymouth nurses who died in World War one when their ship was torpedoed in the Aegean sea off Gallipoli.
We then went to Blackball I tried to get my passenger as close as possible to the service but he still marched. We then went back to the workingman’s club where I met a number of clients and saw a friend with her new partner. She explained me to her partner as her guardian angel and I told her new partner that if he ever touched her with violence that I would seek him out. I thought to myself that the least this woman can have and deserve is no more violence in her relationships. I then took the passenger home and proceeded to the Hospital to get some medical attention. After an hour waiting they gave me some antibiotics as well painkillers and suggested to me that I call on the Dentist and ask if my emergency appointment can be brought forward as the Doctor in the hospital thought it would be a good idea.
Finally, I came home had a nap and then had a snack. The meds were doing their work and after watching the News on TV went to Yoga again in Greymouth and this put me in a much better position to sleep. I forgot to mention while I was out and about I picked up two new clients.
Andrew
Half Anywhere Business Network
