Anna asked me whether Gordon could use the Panda for a day or two, as his car had given up on him, and I said fine, but she must remember that it was my week for using the car on our day off, and she assured me that the car would be mine. I reminded her about the car using oil, and that it was leaking some water, and that Gordon had to check it every time before he used it. She told me that he was no fool, and that of course he would do all those things.
She was behaving very strangely, and told the tallest stories about her and Gordon having been a couple before, and that Yolandi, her friend, was their daughter born from that affair. As every one in the village knew Gordon, and knew how they came to meet, they were really astonished at this, and I was feeling a wee bit embarrassed.
Tuesday, my day off, I got up early, as I wanted to drive to Loch Tay, where I wanted to do some sketching, and then of course have my barbeque, but when I got outside, there was no Panda! I ranted and I raved, then I stormed over the road to Gordon's cottage, where Anna opened the door to me, looking very defiant and seeing how unconcerned she was about it all, I lost it, and a terrible argument ensued. We shouted lustily at each other, but I suddenly realized that shouting would not bring the car back, so I calmed down and asked her nicely to phone Gordon and tell him to bring it back. But she had no intention of doing that, and told me to go jump in the loch!
Oh, I was so cross, so I told her that I will give it twenty minutes, and if the car was not back, I was phoning the police and report it stolen. Of course that made her even more cross, but when I reminded her that on her insistence, the car was registered in my name, she suddenly realized that she was in trouble, and she went all quiet, so I told her again that twenty minutes was all she had.
I could not believe the influence that man had on Anna, as she was just not the callous type who would do such a horrible thing.
I went into the hotel, and made a cuppa, then sat in the pub watching the road to see if Gordon had a big enough fright to bring the Panda back, and sure as anything within about twenty minutes, he drove into our parking lot. I went out, but he ignored me flatly, not that I was bothered, but I nearly had a kingsize fit when I opened the enjin and found that there was almost no sign of any oil or water! I was enraged when I also found that there was just about no petrol, and that after we had decided to leave the car with the petrol gauge where it was where we found it on our days of using the car. Again, I knew that Anna was not responsible, as till now she had kept to the bargain.
I was standing there fuming and calling down the wrath of hell on Gordon, when Joe came out, and after I explained to him what had happened, he said that he was just quickly going to Callender, and that he would bring me oil and petrol. My day was spoiled, as by the time I got away it was past midday, so I just drove to Killin to get some more of the barbeque pans, as mine were finished, but had a picnic anyway at my loch.
That night Anna would not even talk to me, and when Alex shouted at her because he had no clean plates left, she threw everything down and just walked out, shouting at me that I can now do the dishes as well! That was so terrible, as she was now dependend on Gordon, but we had only about two weeks left before going home, where I hoped that she would realize that he would never fit into her circle.
Joe and Rosanne asked me if I wanted to come back the next year for the season again, and I said that I would love to, but will let them know if it was possible.
The two weeks went by quickly, and before I knew it, it was my last night, and we had a roaring party to send me on my way!
Lizzy, with whom I had become quite good friends by now took me to the airport, but until today I don't know how Anna got there, but she was already there when I got there, without any sign of Gordon.
I left the Panda safely in the parking lot after I took out the battery, ready to be put back for me to enjoy another season of exploring the Highlands of Scotland.