He drove up to the empty plot where the nursery used to be and studied it, imagining how he would set up his shop and what he would sell. Where would he get the money to build a shop, fit shelves and equipment, and buy his stock? He parked and thought for a long time but nothing came to him, except for Mannie’s offer. As he drove to his garage, he found Mannie standing outside waiting for him. He had a big smile on his face which irritated Buggy.
“Hello, my business partner. How are you?” He laughed as he patted Buggy on his bonnet again. He was getting so tired of this. Maybe his irritation should be ignored. Mannie was helping him.
“Did you find a place to stay?” Buggy didn’t even greet him.
“Oh yes. I’ve bought a large building off Eastern Avenue. There’s space in there for a small home for me and for my school.”
Air blew through his filter. What a relief! He’d still have his garage to himself. A school?
“School?” Buggy didn’t expect that from Mannie, a mechanic. “What do you know about …?”
“I looked around Motoland to see what is needed here and I noticed that you don’t have any schools. I thought you could well do with one.”
“Do you know how to run a school?” This man was crazy. Why didn’t he just go back to the human world where he belonged? No, that wouldn’t be good. Then Buggy couldn’t pay for his stationary shop. He would have to wait longer for his dream to come true.
“I wanted to ask you for some Mobeels.”
What now? “I don’t have any.” Buggy sighed.
“I will give you South African Rands for Mobeels.”
“I don’t have any. I told you.”
Buggy considered how the human money would be useful in buying his stationery.
“Rent your garage.” Mannie said as though it was so simple to do.
“And where do I stay then?”
“In my school for now.”
He had a point. Buggy would have to wait longer before he could enjoy his own space. But that was worth it to have a dream job. Once his dream job was going smoothly, then he could have both.
“Okay. That will help.” He let out a breath through his grill and walked away, glad that his dream could be coming true after all, even if it meant he had to stay with Mannie.
***
After work the next day, Buggy moved into Mannie’s building. He had found someone to rent his garage after driving around asking at several places. Inside the building, Mannie had already set up desks and blackboards, making it look like a real school. Maybe Motoland really needed a school. He just wondered why Mannie hadn’t opened a mechanic’s shop. That was his expertise. Maybe he was like Buggy who got bored easily and loved to have a new challenge.
The school would actually help his stationery shop to make sales. Everything was turning out just right. He drove around the building, checking that everything was in order, then decided to visit Whizzler, the only friend he hadn’t spent time with since last time he was in Motoland.
***
“You look great,” said Buggy to Whizzler later as they sat in the garden sipping cool Sprite-petrol.
“Much better since Harluc opened.” The beefy-looking tractor revved his engine to show off. “Now, how are you doing, young car?”
“Fine other than a little short on Mobeels.”
“That’s not good. Will keep you in my prayers.”
They caught up on their months apart. Buggy couldn’t believe how healthy the old tractor looked. The farm was in tip-top shape. All because of Harvey’s petrol.
Buggy took a slow drive around the farm after their chat to refresh himself before leaving for Mannie.
“Just a thought, Buggy,” Whizzler said as he closed his gate behind Buggy. “Having money isn’t wrong but loving it more than friends and cars is. I always tell myself that. Sometimes, we work so hard for money that we forget what’s really important and what makes us truly happy.”
“Okay.” Buggy flicked his lights in acknowledgement of his friend’s statement but still couldn’t work out exactly what he meant as he drove home while the sun set on the horizon. Motoland’s colourful streetlamps came on as the darkness came, lighting up the road in rainbow. Whizzler, being old, could say things that went way over his roof sometimes. He always put his friends first. Hadn’t he just visited Whizzler and spent a long time with him?
***
The next day, after work, he visited Pelly just to prove to himself that friends came first.
“Evity’s here at the moment,” Pelly told Buggy as they enjoyed some tea-petrol together on her fluffy mat. Buggy was glad to rest for a while before he went home to Mannie who would rope him into doing some job around the school for him. That’s what they’d done the whole weekend.
“That’s nice,” he said, unable to break away from all that he had to do. Then a thought popped into his mind.
“She can find out something for me.”
“That’s what Evity’s for.” Pelly sipped her tea slowly.
“Where can I find her?”
“She always stays with Fiata, one of my Bible students.” Pelly still taught cars how to read and specifically the Bible. Buggy had learned to read with Pelly before in Motoland.
Buggy gulped down his tea while he listened to Pelly’s directions to Fiata’s garage. He said a hurried goodbye and drove to Fiata, grateful that it was close to the school.
Evity and Fiata were entertaining some young cars in the backyard with balloons and games. Evity opened the gate for Buggy.
“Oh, come join the chaos.” Evity said, laughing. “Come meet Fiata.”
“I can’t stay. Please would you check in the human world when Mrs. Scrag is getting back from her holiday.”
“Sure, Buggy, anything. Who can I ask?”
“Maybe Mr. Benson in Silvo Street. Do I need to pay you?”
“The town council pays me.”
“Thanks.”
As Buggy drove out Fiata’s driveway, he nearly bumped into Tina and Harvey driving in the opposite direction.
“Buggy, hi, my friend. Good to see you,” Harvey said. “Come with us. We want you to see this wonderful thing.”
“What?” Buggy was curious but was so tired. “I’m so tired…”
Before Buggy could finish his sentence, Tina and Harvey’s excited chatter drowned out his complaints. Buggy was taken away by their infectious mood.
“The maternity ward at the Mechanic Centre is really busy nowadays,” said Tina as they drove on.
“What’s that?”
“Where we get our children.”
Children? Car children already? They’d just got married.
“Do you pay for them? Who makes them?”
“It’s quite hard to explain,” Harvey said. “We make them with the use of their equipment.”
“Harvey and I want to start a family and we decided today is the day.”
“It’s quite different to the humans, I think.” Buggy crinkled his bonnet. “Mrs. Scrag used to say how Wayne was her final surprise, like she never planned him.”
“Oh, really?” Tina said.
Buggy followed them to the maternity ward, excited but his mind fuzzy from the busy day he’d had. The maternity ward was buzzing with the sound of excited and busy engines.
“I’m afraid the wait is going to be quite long,” said Harvey once they had settled in the pleasant waiting room, filled with shelves of books. “The car ahead of us wants twins.”
Tina sighed but smiled contently. “Today is the day and wait I will do, however long it takes.”
Harvey touched her mirror lovingly.
“What are these books?” Buggy asked curiously, holding some glossy, hard-cover books in his hand.
“They show all the different makes and designs of cars that you can choose from.”
“I’ve heard they never quite come out like the pictures,” said Harvey.
“Why not?”
“I think because we’re not just
machines but are living cars.”
“So what are you choosing?” ventured Buggy cautiously, not knowing if it was a private question.
Tina laughed at his awkwardness. “We’ve taken the option not to choose.”
Buggy totally confused, tried to think of something to say to change the subject. After the long wait, he dozed off for several hours while Tina and Harvey were gone. At about midnight, Harvey returned to the waiting room, his lights beaming brightly.
“Everything went smoothly. We now have our first little car. His name is Tonca. Come and see him,” Harvey said.
Buggy, now wide awake, drove into Tina’s room in the maternity ward. On a soft, fluffy mat was parked a shiny, new four-wheeler, fast asleep. His seats were black leather like Harvey’s but his bodywork was like Tina’s. Buggy looked at Tina and Harvey.
“Congratulations!”
Chapter Four
“Buggy, someone here to see you,” said the receptionist at the mayor’s office on Buggy’s office phone. Buggy drove out of his office quickly. I never get visitors at work. As he drove into the front foyer, a small human figure ran towards him.
“Evity.”
“Buggy, good news. Mrs. Scrag’s holiday has been extended. She’s not coming home for six months.”
“Oh, you’re such a help, Evity. You’re brilliant!”
Evity shrugged. “It’s my job and I enjoy it. I want to be a private investigator one day.”
“You’d make a good one.”
The receptionist eyed Buggy as if to say, “Go back to work.” Buggy greeted Evity and returned to his office with a light heart. Now, he had more time in Motoland and could set up his new business.
It was only two days later that he was paid his first salary. He rode quickly to Tina to pay his first installment for his land and then reluctantly gave Mannie most of his Mobeels for some Rands. He put the Rands in the bank.
***
“I am now ready to open my school,” said Mannie one evening a week later as Buggy settled down to eat a dull supper of petrol sandwiches.
“That’s nice.” Buggy’s bonnet and roof ached. He’d worked hard today. And he was already tired of living with Mannie who always seemed so upbeat and energetic. The man always had this awful smile upon his face as though he’d just eaten the best meal in the whole world.
“What’s wrong with you, Beetle car? It means money for you.”
“How?” He had relied upon getting money from Mannie but had begun to doubt it.
“If you help me with my school, I will give you a third of the money I make.”
Maybe the man had been serious. Buggy’s lights lit up.
“What must I do?”
“Well, I’m opening the school on Saturday for parents to come and see. You can promote it. Being a car, they will listen to you.”
“Is it worth promoting?” Buggy nearly said but he bit the words back.
“Okay, you’re on.” Buggy tried to muster up some enthusiasm for Mannie’s crazy idea.
***
Saturday arrived very fast. Buggy was glad he was a natural at talking to crowds because Rolling Road and Eastern Avenue outside the school, were packed with cars.
He drove onto a high piece of the road and spoke in his loudest voice.
“This week, most of you received a flyer in your postbox telling you about our new school.” He looked down at the crowd which went quiet. “Well, as you can see, the building is now complete and ready to receive about fifty children.”
“Why do you think we need a school?” An angry voice roared from the crowd.
Buggy hadn’t expected that response.
“Motoland has never had a school before.” Another car shouted.
Buggy’s radiator went cold.
“So how do you become educated?” he asked.
“We teach our own children,” a mother boldly said.
“Boooh to the school!” A car shouted. Then the whole crowd echoed him. “Boooh to the school!”
“Do something!” Mannie whispered in Buggy’s window.
Buggy thought for a moment and then spoke loudly to the crowd. His voice was drowned out by the booing and hooting. He raised his mirror and shouted, “Silence!” Everyone stared at Buggy, their lights round. Many cars had looked up to him before when he led them to Harluc Petrol Plant to save Motoland from the poisonous petrol. Maybe they would listen to him now.
“Let’s at least hear what he has to say,” said one large car loudly.
“Why don’t you give the school a chance? Maybe it will be good for Motoland. Remember how being willing to change to a new petrol saved Motoland before? Maybe Motoland is in danger of the disease of ignorance and being set in its old ways.” Buggy paused to think. At that moment, several cars hooted and drove away. “Will the rest of you enroll your children in the school and at least give it a chance?”
Those that remained each took the step to enroll their kids, some a little unsure but several saying to Buggy, “We trust you because you’ve helped Motoland many times before. You must know that this will be good for our children.”
Buggy felt quite proud of his ability to persuade people although he wasn’t totally convinced himself about the school. He tried to ignore his doubts as he took down the names of the children, allowing the excitement of the other cars to make him feel excited too. All in all, about thirty-five children were due to start school the following week.
***
The first evening after the school opened, Mannie counted his school fees with a gleam in his eye.
“I thought that a third was mine,” said Buggy, his mirror stretched over Mannie’s shoulder.
Mannie smiled at Buggy’s comment. “You’re a money-hungry young car, I see,” he said as he counted a third of the Mobeels and held them in his hand.
“I have a business to start,” he answered defensively.
Mannie handed him the Mobeels quickly and got back to sorting his money.
Buggy went out the room, hating the funny prickly sensation he always got on his paintwork when he looked at Mannie’s satisfied smile.
***
Buggy took the Mobeels on Monday evening to buy bricks and concrete for his shop. He stored it in the back room of the school. Curvy was popular and influential in Motoland. Maybe she could find a good builder to build his shop. He drove to Curvy’s garage with a mixture of nerves and excitement. They had fought a little last time he was in Motoland but now she was a Believer and was sorry for her decisions before. She would be different and he had rescued her from Bigwheel. He tooted at her gate. There was no reply. After several toots and waits, Buggy decided to try Whizzler. As he drove out the driveway to leave, he heard a clear toot behind him.
“Buggy, where are you going?” Curvy drove towards her gate.
“Curvy, pleased to see you.”
“Come out my driveway so I can drive in first to open the gate.”
He smiled. She sure looked shiny, neat, and full of smiles.
Soon they were settled in Curvy’s messy garage.
“’Scuze the mess. I’m just never here to clean up. So what’ve you been doing in Motoland this time?”
“I’ve been working at the mayor’s office and helping Mannie with his school.”
“That school has caused quite a stir. What made you decide to do that?”
“I brought Mannie here. He’s helping me start my business.”
“Business?” Curvy’s voice was sharp.
Once again, Buggy felt intimidated by Curvy. She seemed so serious at times. “That’s why I came here. I wanted to see if you knew who could build my shop for me. You’re quite popular here. You must know someone.”
“Yes, a few cars are very good at building. One car is a friend of mine. He will be very willing to help you.”
“Ah, thanks, Curvy. How are things with you?”
“I’m okay. Pelly’s teaching me the Bible. I’m enjoying my new faith very much. Not every car ag
rees with me though.” Curvy’s face looked gentle and almost sad. Buggy watched her as she rummaged in her cupboard for a packet of pink oil-biscuits.
“A little stale and not as good as Pelly’s wonderful homemade ones.” She offered some to Buggy.
“Thanks,” said a hungry Buggy. “Just what I needed.” He popped two in his mouth.
“Tell me, my friend,” began Curvy slowly, “what is your reason for starting a business?”
“It’s been a dream. I was planning it when I was with Mrs. Scrag. I like being my own boss.”
“Me too.” Curvy munched on a biscuit. “We’re very much alike.”
Buggy wriggled on the mat a bit. He didn’t want to be like Curvy but didn’t know why.
“Why do you have to get involved with Mannie though? I’ve seen that look in your eye. You’re starting to look like him.”
Buggy wriggled some more. He felt a strong desire to leave but needed to find a builder.
“What do you mean?”
“It’s greed. I’ve had it before. I know it doesn’t work well with faith.”
“Greed?”
“Wanting more even if it hurts others.”
Buggy puffed himself up on his wheels and spun them roughly on her pink carpet. “You’ve always tried to tell me how to run my life. I have to go.” He burst out the door and drove home with a lump in his exhaust pipe. So much for visiting Curvy and things being different.
“I’ll find my own builder. Why waste my time with friends who don’t care or want to help but just want to make themselves look better than me,” he mumbled to himself as he fumbled with the gate to the school building.
***
The next day, Buggy visited Tina to see her new baby car. While he relaxed in her garage and watched Tina polish Tonca’s bonnet with a cloth proudly, he listened to her chatter on, the smile on her face making him forget Curvy’s harsh words. Some friends would always be good friends.
“We heard about this wonderful school,” said Tina brightly to Buggy. “We think Tonca will enjoy it. He’s such a friendly car and loves having other cars around him. Will you enroll him for me?”