A New Direction

The following week Jordana and I drove the old van into the dealership and picked up the new one. With the number of other runs reduced by one, she was designated as my emergency driver, especially as she was also a she-male and a bit stronger than the other girls. Those churns could be a bitch to manhandle when full.

The new van was a joy to drive, even if it was bigger and more powerful. It had an integrated work shelf next to the driver where I could sit the tablet and this was blue toothed to the GPS. We had also ordered it with a power lifting rear platform that folded up while you were on the road. We took it back to the farm where all the other girls inspected it. I called the Palace and they told me to come into their office to sign the supply agreement the next day, with an idea to start the deliveries on the thirtieth of the month, just over a week away. They told me which gate to come in and where to park. I told them that there would be two of us coming in. I had already got one of the other girls trained in my old run and they were happily working well with the five vans so we would be going in with the new one to test the route at our leisure.

I called Eduardo on his mobile and he told me that he was in Madrid this week so I said I would take him to lunch as a small thank you for his input. We agreed on a meeting place. I then called Joseph and said I would be in town during that afternoon but he said he was too busy right now and could not see me. Did I detect a cooling in his voice?

The next morning we went the full run, pretending that we had loaded at the farm and needed to visit the dairy and abattoir, before heading to Madrid. I kept good records of my times. At the Palace I found the right gate and parking spot and then we presented ourselves at the catering office. I signed the agreement on behalf of the farm and both Jordana and I were taken for a photo and then were presented with an ID pass on a lanyard. There was a map of the precinct with delivery points marked, a list of those points with a code number for each that would correspond with numbers on the order and a packet of ‘Priority Transport’ stickers with the Spanish Government logo boldly on them. We were told that this would get us through police barriers and that we would not be stopped at a random testing station but not to abuse the privilege. After I got back to the van I opened the packet and found that there were enough stickers to fit every vehicle we had, with a couple left over. Jordana told me that as this was a big event for the farm, we needed to make sure it all worked well as it would underpin the whole business.

We met Eduardo for lunch and he was happy to have two ladies join him. We thanked him for his help with the new contract and he told us that it was actually a feather in his own cap to get a good local supplier. We promised that we would live up to his expectations. After lunch we decided that while we were in Madrid with the big van, we would go to our warehouse that provided the farm with chicken feed and fertiliser and pick up a load. This would be something we could do now and would save us another delivery fee. We then went to the one which supplied all of the household items we used and stocked up on tinned goods and cleaning supplies. We also bought a knapsack spray and disinfectant concentrate so we could clean the inside of the refrigerated compartment every day. We stopped at a hardware store on the way home and got a couple of sturdy sack-trucks to help with the volume of product we would be carrying.

Back at the farm we used the power lift and sack-trucks to empty the van and then prepared a disinfectant mix to clean the inside of the van before hosing it out and giving it a wipe down. With the smaller vans they only needed sweeping out every day so this was a new regime that we would have to follow. On the Friday the girls changed over and I, once again, was entertaining Parnima some nights. It had become quite a regular, and enjoyable, coupling and I was getting more effective in my approach and I had found that my stamina was also improving.

The Palace had promised to give us a few days advance notice of their requirements and, on the following Friday, we received an email with the order for Monday. We notified the abattoir and dairy of our requirement and made sure we had the cheese that had been ordered. This had become a good seller as we had started with a standard soft cheese and it had slowly expanded into about six different styles that we were delivering every few days. The number of customers who were now ordering it had doubled in two weeks. The Saturday we had another order from the Palace with about the same quantities and I emailed our needs to the dairy and abattoir. Sunday was another so my week was being organised again.

On the Monday I made sure that the van was loaded with our vegetables, eggs and cheese and that it was separated into the correct coded boxes for the various delivery points, then took it out to do the rest of my pick-ups. I was glad of the power lift as the milk churns were a bit difficult and there was no way I would be able to lift them up to go in the van. We had a rack installed along the front of the van with small chains and hooks so the churns would not roll around. The meat was boxed for the different deliveries as requested and, after I had loaded everything I set off for Madrid.

Arriving at the Palace I found my first delivery point and made myself known to the staff. They did not offer any help and I had to unload their goods myself. I was glad that we had bought the sack-trucks. I repeated the operation at five other buildings with the last being the main executive restaurant which had the biggest part of the order. At least, there, I was helped by one of the kitchen hands. I had worn a dress today and now realised that I would need to wear jeans and boots in future as I was now sweaty and my skirt was stained. I had found that the magic of womanhood does not have any effect on public servants.

As I drove back to the farm I thought over the day and worked out ways I could make the operation easier. If we had a walk-in refrigerated room at the farm we could stock churns overnight and even the meat. That way I could have the van completely loaded before I left in the morning. I would only have to drop by the dairy and abattoir on my way home to pick up the next delivery. It would also allow us to store meat and dairy products for our own use at the farm. With that in mind I found a layby and pulled over to look up refrigeration suppliers on the internet. Finding one in Salemanca I drove there and went in.

They were very helpful and showed me a demonstrator unit which was a bit bigger than I had thought but had all of the right attributes. When they told me the price of a new unit I was a bit taken aback and then I was asked how soon I would want one and, when I replied “Yesterday” they offered me the demonstrator unit at a good discount and, when I dithered, offered to deliver and install it free. I did not even think about calling the other girls with this and signed for the purchase there and then. They said they would bring it to the farm on Wednesday. Back at the farm I cleaned out the van and then went to find Henri. I told him that we would be getting the refrigerated room on Wednesday and told him the dimensions. We picked out a spot in one of the outbuildings that was close to our power supply and he said he would clean the area and prepare it tomorrow.

When I caught up with Parnima I told her what I had done and explained the advantages. She thought about it a bit and then told me that it was my responsibility as the farm manager but she could see how it would help. Tuesday I did the next delivery as before but did pack the van a bit differently, which made it a bit better. I was much more comfortable in the jeans and boots. Wednesday, when I got back, they were just finishing the installation of the cold room and were wiring it to our electricity supply. The technician did advise us that we would do well to get a back-up generator should the power fail; yet another thing for me to research. He did, however give me the minimum output required and also gave me the address of a company that installs them.

And so it went on. We were in the first week of October and by the Friday I had developed a working system with deliveries and picking up the next meat and dairy supplies. We also started buying in meat for the house and storing it. On the Friday, Parnima and the girls went off to Madrid and the others came back. They were had only just arrived when I got back and were amazed when I got them to help me unload the meat and churns to store in the cold room. Vanda asked me whether I was sure we could afford it and I showed her my clipboard with the total we had turned over in just the five days. She then said that she would get the girls to promote meat and dairy products to our usual customers.

By the end of the following week we had added to the general deliveries and I was now picking up a lot more when I came home from Madrid. The two weeks was much better for me as Jordana was able to join me and help, taking over some of the driving as well. I was still getting work coming in from Portia to look at in the evenings but did not hear much from Joseph. I realised that it was over but did not shed a tear as I was now too busy to think about it.

Marianne G 2020