Tonight I passed a bottle shop, the one at Annerley. Then I contemplated red wine.

I contemplated red wine because I had to take my bike into repairs this morning. My own stupid fault? Perhaps. I left my bike in a bit of a thoroughfare on level 4 of my work building. I figured it’d be OK as it was only for a few days until I got my swipe card access to the basement sorted.

Unfortunately it seems someone must’ve toppled it over because I discovered poor Sheldon at the end of yesterday with a crushed handbrake. A wrecked handbrake on an electric bike wrecks all the electronic mechanism. On my way home, the handbrake was not only clearly bent but the bike itself kept cutting out.

I contemplated red wine because I worked until after 8 tonight and therefore missed seeing Bec Plath. My original hesitation around seeing Bec was that she was playing at 8pm and I would perhaps get home a tad too late for my poor neglected animals. Given I got home at 9.15pm afterall, I really should remember it’s OK to neglect my animals for the sake of fun rather than just for the sake of work.

I contemplated red wine because I received a beautiful message today from someone on the other side of the world who I met a long time ago and it completely shocked me.

I looked at my watch. It was 8.55pm.

So I raced as fast as my little legs could carry me. The lovely lady walking her maltese kindly walked on the grass so I could have the path. I flashed her a massive grin that must’ve said “I am fanging for a glass of red!” She laughed and I laughed. I passed a cyclist coming in the other direction. We were both on a really narrow footpath. We both slowed down. We both fumbled. I flashed him a look that said “I’m so sorry. I would’ve completely gone off the path except I’m fanging for a glass of red!” He looked a bit dazed and confused.

I approached the bottle shop, saw the light was still on and raced behind a car that was reversing to leave. He saw me so I zipped behind him without any danger then stopped to lament. The doors were closed. I motioned through the glass to the bottle shop dude. He looked like he was counting the till. Oh no! But he looked up and smiled. Ahhhh that smile!

I parked the bike and was so happy when the automatic glass doors opened. “We’re closing in 2 minutes”, he said. “YAY!!” I said.

I grabbed my two bottles of wine, completely forgot to use my 20% discount card (no I don’t have a drinking problem), bundled my bottles in my pannier bag and watched as the bottle shop dude closed the big metal roller doors.

I relaxed, approached a pedestrian crossing and tall, handsome, shirtless jogger man flashed me a massive smile as he purposefully raced ahead of his jogging friends to press the button for me.

I love lovely pedestrians. When they’re hot and shirtless, that’s just an added bonus.

My $9 shiraz is bliss.

And Bec Plath, you gorgeous, talented woman, I’m sure you were spectacular. Next time you’re on I’ll be sure to take time out to see you. And drink red! And bugger the animals!