Joe Branston lolled comfortably on the patio enjoying a coffee and soaking up the early morning sun. He was feeling pleased with himself and with the world. This was his day. The day with all the difficulties in the past. Not even that damn fool woman could ruin things at this point.
Joe was mayor and, he believed, a good mayor. The woman in question was Ruth Hampton who held the position of Municipal Engineer though not for long if Joe had his way. She had been employed during his absence in the States and on his return he had left no-one in doubt as to what he thought about it.
“Oh yes!” he had said. “She’s got qualifications—Has she?—And experience,eh?—Where?—In bed I’ll bet. But that doesn’t make her an engineer, does it?”
It was just a minor irritation and in some strange way must work for his benefit eventually. Every single thing had gone right for him since coming to this town as a young businessman. From that first Sunday when he had surveyed the cars outside the local churches and opted to be a Presbyterian., it had seemed as though he had been unable to make a wrong move. He had unerringly chosen the service club with the highest profile. His donations to and his backing of various causes had been nicely judged for visibility. He had quickly gained a reputation as a sound man.
Now he was reaping his reward. This house that made friends so envious, the healthy business with his sons now in the day-to-day management and, best of all, his position as mayor. He deserved it. He had worked hard for it but, just the same, it was obvious that someone up there liked him and was looking after him.
He was a trifle washed out this morning although that did nothing to dilute the satisfaction he was feeling. He and Mary had flown back from holiday in Brisbane the previous evening and their flight had been delayed. It had been well after midnight when they arrived home. A bit of a lie-in would have helped but that was impossible. Not on this day.
From today he would be remembered as the man who had finally given the town a decent water
HELP FROM ON HIGH. Page 2 SOSIAN supply. The Prime Minister would be on hand and, when the speeches were over, would operate a switch prominently mounted on the dias. A signal would speed over the radio link and the pumps would start up in the distant pumping station. Without a doubt they would be photographed together. With any luck he’d see himself on the 6 o’clock news.
Up to that time, the town had had to rely on bores for its water and the poor quality and limited supply had always been a problem. Even with the most careful conservation, the water table had dropped alarmingly in recent summers.
What had brought matters to a head was a whisper on the network that one of the major freezing companies had thoughts of establishing a processing plant in the area. It was an advantage to have friends and, by good fortune, Joe had an interest in the only suitably-zoned land. The only stumbling block was the amount of water that that industry required, an amount that the town could not spare. The existing quality was not high enough anyway. Joe’s feelers to the company had indicated that no way would they consider finding their own source of supply.
There had been only one thing to do. If the town was to prosper it needed that freezing works and, to get it, it would have to front up with a better water supply. Consultants had recommended taking supply from a spring in the foothills some 18 kilometres distant. Then had come the hard part, selling the idea to the ratepayers who already considered themselves at full stretch. The musty taste, hardness, and rust stains had suddenly become acceptable but the measure had been forced through. Sometimes people had to be leaned-on for their own good.
Joe was proud of the proper way in which he had acted. When the council had met to discuss the awarding of the main contract, he had declared his interest and left the coucil chamber. Even so, the contract was awarded to his son-in-law.
It was amazing the way in which everything had worked to advantage. Even things that had seemed a disaster at the time. Like, for instance, the delay in receiving the imported pumps and pipe couplings. That delay had prevented the project from being completed last summer. Obviously, it
HELP FROM ON HIGH. Page 3 SOSIAN was not meant to be completed last summer. And the over-ordering of the piping was not just fortuitous either. One could see the hand of fate in it.
Last January, a year ago to the very day, he had been driving in the general area of the spring when a strange urging had prompted him to visit the place. He could only put it down to his guardian angel being at work. He had found the spring dry.
True, there had been warning of such a possibility at the time when the project was first mooted but it had been impossible to take it seriously. Some local farmer, who was obviously not the full quid, was trying to argue against the consultants. There could be only one choice as to who to believe.
When that wretched woman, that so-called engineer, had come on the scene halfway through the project, she had got wind of this warning and wanted to take it seriously. She wanted a reassessment made but, naturally, didn’t get it. If you took notice of every crank that came along, nothing would ever get done.
The problem with the spring had been easily sorted out. There was another several kilometres further on and, since it was on a higher level, it could be gravity fed to the pumping station. Joe had had a quiet word with the other council members so that they could close ranks. At the next council meeting, it was decided to seek an additional water-right and link the two springs to make the supply ’even more reliable’.The press had gained no wind of the problem. Joe could see clear evidence of divine intervention when the over-ordered lengths of pipe exactly spanned the distance between the two springs. They had obviously been ordered for just this eventuality. Of course, ‘Madam’ had had a few things to say in private about all this.
Fortunately, through all the delays, the freezing company had maintained its interest. Joe had kept them simmering and now he had delivered the goods. Everyone concerned seemed to have benefited, his son-in-law Ross most of all if the new trucks were any indication. There was even talk of Peggy giving up work in the office and making him, Joe, a grandfather. It was a real source
HELP FROM ON HIGH. Page 4 SOSIAN of satisfaction to be able to make such deserving people happy.
Back in the house, the phone rang, and Mary was still asleep. Joe cursed. It was barely 8 o’clock. Wasn’t he allowed to have any time to himself? Did people think he was their servant or something? For the moment, the glow had gone off the morning. He stumped inside to answer the summons.
It was that blasted woman. Panicing, no doubt. Well, she’d better not expect to cry on his shoulder. Solving problems was what she was paid for and, if she couldn’t handle the pressure, she should admit as much and make way for someone who could. He ‘accidently’ broke the connection and left the phone dangling so that no-one else could louse-up this beautiful morning when the gods were smiling.
Ruth Hampton was not deceived. This was just another in a long line of petty rudenesses. She had ridden them out only because another position was rather difficult to find. Prejudice against women in many branches of engineering was still very much alive. But now she did have a firm offer. She rang again several times at intervals and each time heard the engaged signal. That satisfied her. She had made a reasonable effort to do the decent thing.
From her window, Ruth could see the town reservoir and in front of it the dais bright with bunting. She could make out the ant-like figures of the technicians who were setting up the sound equipment. She normally hated ceremonial occasions with their posturing and their boring rhetoric but now she was almost eager for what was to come. She had put through a call to Carl Wallace who had offered her a position in his consultancy. Almost certainly efforts would be made to cast doubts on her competancy and it was best that he hear the story first from herself. She had been very much reassured by the way in which he had taken the information. His laughter had told her that she had nothing to fear in that direction. The council’s water-consultants were a rival and somewhat larger group.
At first light that morning, she had driven out to both intakes to make sure that everything was ready to roll and had found that both springs were dry. Today should be quite a day.