Grga Pitic: "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship." Nambawan!

When we hit tarseal again
I feel like the island
had tipped up
to send us rolling down-
hill heading for home

but not even halfway
between the end of the earth and Kaitaia
we hear a noise
and a clunk, and a hiss

We stop to check

It’s flat

Up ahead are houses
Cars rush past like flies
We trudge along the verge

The sun has already melted the tar
my Paihia jandals already ruined

Intimidated by the large white house
we try the neighbours
with the cars and the dogs
‘No landline,’ they say, ‘try the white house’

The white house peers down from its hill
the driveway is two lines
of white stones

I let you go first

They don’t ask us into the house
but bring the phone out
They tell us they once visitedWellington
like another country, this mythic south

We phone the AA and return to our car
I am homesick
for the first time

In the hours we spend waiting
the sun climbs higher and hotter

We sit in the car, there is nowhere else
each passing vehicle shakes us with jealousy

When the AA man comes
pulled from his family, pulled from Kaitaia
we pretend to not be embarrassed
that we can’t fix it ourselves

City folk, we can’t help it

  Helen Rickerby Nov 24, 2013 11:34 AM