The adventures of Melissa

CHAPTER 4

We were  visiting Gosford in New South Wales. Gosford is a small town outside of Sydney and it is quite hilly. Well this was fine for a strong buggy like myself, and of course, for Susan riding on me, it was easy. But for Madeleine, she found some of those hills just a little difficult at times.

 One day, we’d been looking around the town having ourselves a lovely afternoon and then headed back home. Now for a buggy like me, the hill was nothing. But for poor old Madeleine (remember, she’s not that young any more, she’s getting on in years), by the time we got to the last hill towards where we were staying, she was finding it really, really difficult.

 She kept walking slower and slower. Susan knew that her mother was running out of steam, and being the kind little girl that she was, she felt sorry for her mother. Knowing, of course, that she had me to ride on, and didn’t have to do all that walking. So Susan suggested that her mother get on the buggy with her. I thought it was quite a good idea, of course, being the big, strong buggy that I am, I figured I could carry both of them quite easily. After a bit of fiddling, my seat is not all that big, remember, I am a child sized buggy and the two of them together didn’t really fit too well. But, they managed to hop on together and off we went up the hill.

 Well, I could feel my energy going. There was nothing I could do. I tried. I really tried to get up that hill. But the two people, a long day wandering around the shops and the size of the hill, I’m afraid, it was more than even a strong, solid buggy like me could do. About three quarters of the way up, I knew I couldn’t do any more and I stopped. I just couldn’t go another inch. Oh, dear!! I’ve let the buggies of the world down. I let my humans down!! Oh, dear !!

 Susan tried to walk up the hill as far as she could. Madeleine pushed and pushed. And I am a big, heavy buggy, even if I am a child sized one. Madeleine was huffing and puffing. They found a room in the bottom of the building and Madeleine took Susan up the stairs to the flat. Remember, poor Susan had already walked further than she should have, and she still had the stairs to go.

 They left me in this little room, all alone, to think about my transgressions. I had failed my humans. Oh, dear me. I failed again.

  I guess I deserved to stay alone in that little room. Madeleine came down shortly with my charger and plugged me in, and there was my life blood flowing into my body again. I didn’t feel as well as I should have, though, and that worried me all through that long, lonely night. I knew that with the electricity, that I should be feeling my normal, strong self and I wasn’t.

 In the morning, Madeleine came down with the key. I could have told her it wasn’t going to work, but of course, buggies don’t have voices that humans can understand. She put the key in, and….. Nothing. I still could not move. I could hear her talking to her friend and wondering if they should call the buggy doctor. Was there a buggy doctor in Gosford?  Let’s face it, there are not many buggy doctors in the world, it is a very, very specialised skill to be a buggy doctor.

 If only I could talk. I knew what was wrong with me, if only I could talk. Poor Madeleine. She started to unhitch my batteries, and then plug them back in again. She’s getting closer and closer to the solution. Oh, dear, if only I could talk. Her fingers are feeling around my batteries. A little bit more Madeleine, it’s right…………………….   There.

  Ahhhhhhhhhhh. Oh, that does feel better. . I was back again. I felt sooo good. I knew I could do my job properly now and wouldn’t let my humans down again.

 She had found it. Just a little button, that’s all she had to push once my battery was charged again. She’d overloaded me.  A bit like one of those power board thingees that humans use and you push the little red button to make things work again.

 Madeleine never forgot that little trick again. Lucky, she never needed to use it again. I think it was the long day, then the hill, and then the extra weight. I was so sorry that I couldn’t carry Madeleine as well when she got tired. But remember, I am only a child sized buggy.

 Melissa (typed by Madeleine)

Tuesday, 31 January 2006