Alice and the Dame

Phone rings

“Bankstown airport”

“Yeh, hi, we need to book a courier flight to collect some Basil Sprigs from Sydney destined for Olympic Dam.”

“Yeh, we have a courier free“

“Great! Thanks” CLICK.

“Hey Bob… BOB!” Bob looked up from a nearby commuter plane.

“What?”

“Got a job for you” John scrawls the details on a job sheet.

“What’s the job?”

“Olympic Dam waiting on a delivery of Basil Sprigs, you good with that?”

“Yeh, I’m good.”

“Well here are the details…” John hands over job sheet.

Bob struggled to read John’s handwriting, having left his glasses at home again. Besides.. it’s not like he misunderstood… Something about a dame and Alice.

Heading out to his plane, he takes off and heads to Sydney Airport and within no time, was landing on the tarmac and heading to their main office to make the pickup.

The confused staff had no knowledge of his request.  They looked at the cargo list waiting to be collected: two cats, an esky with oysters, a crate of basil sprigs, amongst a list of a dozen other things but no dame mentioned. They made their announcement over the speakers in the hope that the mystery will soon be solved.

Four hours later…

“We should be landing soon, there’s the airport just there, and I hope you enjoyed your flight?”

“It was pretty smooth, thanks” the mystified passenger with the British accent in the back replied, not expecting this bonus flight during her visit.

Landing on the tarmac, Bob takes his papers to the main office but was surprised when approaching to see the door locked.  It was empty, not a staff member in sight, not even a skeleton staff.  Only then did he notice the sign on the door:  ‘HOURS OF OPERATION: 9am – 5pm Weekdays, 10am – 3pm Saturdays.  For Out of Hour visitations, please contact Duty Manager located at main reception.

He heads back to the plane and escorts his passenger to Reception.  “Hope you enjoy your stay here, nice place.. popular with tourists.” he says as he places her suitcase by her side.
“Thanks, I’m sure I will.. I think.” The woman said as she had a look around at the very open and spacious surroundings.

Reception greeted with a smile, “Welcome, how can I help you?”

“Hi, I’m Dame Kelly Holmes, I was invited to speak at the NSW Institute of Sport but was.. for lack of a better word.. swooped up and brought here, I’m kind of confused why?”

Reception:  “I know that pilot,” she nodded in Bob’s direction as he left the building.  “Let me call his supervisor, maybe we can solve the mystery for you.”

Phone rings. “Hello?”

“What are you doing?!”

“Just finished the job, heading back now as soon as I fuel up.”

“Did you not read the paper?!  The job was to pick up some Basil Sprigs and deliver to Olympic Dam, not pick up some Dame and deliver to Alice Springs!”

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My short story entry as submitted to Furious Fiction for September.

Criteria included

• 500 words or less
• Must include the word “spring” somewhere in the piece
• Must take place at an airport
• “it was empty” must also be used somewhere in the piece

This didn’t make the shortlist, but I’m still proud of this piece.