by Helen Brain
He rolled the whites of his eyes at her and stood stock still, showing his yellow teeth.
“Competitor number six, Jamie Waine on McTavish, eliminated,” announced the judge when her time was up. McTavish still hadn’t moved.
Jamie tried not to watch as Shardonnay rode up on Oreo. Shardonnay had hired a professional horse groomer to groom him for the show. He didn’t have a hair out of place. Even the whiskers on his chin and in his ears had been trimmed. His hooves had been blackened with hoof polish, and even though she’d given him a ridiculous shiny bridle he was still the most beautiful horse ever.
Jamie couldn’t look. She felt sick as Shardonnay took the first place rosette.
That prize should have been hers.
23
A bum shot
The next event in the competition was jumping. This was Jamie’s best. McTavish had short legs which put him at a disadvantage against the other ponies, but Jamie was great at cutting corners and shaving seconds off her time.
“Come on, McTavish,” she whispered into his ear as they approached the gate. “Let’s show them what you can do.” He pricked his ears forward and lifted his head. Then off he set at a smart trot. “Good boy,” Jamie said. “Well done.” He’d taken the first seven jumps perfectly.
All that remained was the water jump, and McTavish hated this one, even when he was in a good mood. “Come on, Boy,” she whispered, squeezing his side with her legs. She got him into a good canter. He was going to need some speed to clear this jump. Jamie concentrated on timing the take-off perfectly.
Then off to the side Shardonnay gave her high pitched giggle. McTavish stopped dead, mid canter. Jamie flew over his head and landed with her face in the mud.
She jumped up, dripping dirty water. McTavish was galloping out of the arena. She grabbed her crop and ran after him.
“Contestant number six, Jamie Waine, eliminated,” announced the commentator. It was so humiliating. Shardonnay was waiting at the gate and she was giggling as Jamie came running past. “Guess what, loser? I filmed your epic fail on my phone. I’ve just posted it on Facebook.”
“Oh shut up,” Jamie snarled.
“Did you hear what that nasty cow said to my poor sister?” Tick said to Chanza.
“Ja,” said Chanza, “somebody needs to teach her a lesson.”
Tick picked up a bottle of ginger beer.
Chanza eyed it suspiciously. “Be careful, hey. That bottle’s like a long range bazooka. Your mom could have used one of those to clear her drains.”
“Damn,” Tick muttered. “I didn’t think of that. I could have sold it to her instead of buying the Nimrod 2 thing. Hey, but there are still ten bottles. We can sell them to the neighbours. We’ll mark them at five hundred rand a bottle. They’ll snap them up.” And he shook the bottle to show Chanza how much fizz there was.
Chanza looked doubtful. “I think you should put that bottle down, Tick. It’s dangerous.”
“But it’s a brilliant idea. Come on, admit it. If they buy two they can get a discount. Two drain un-blockers for eight hundred rand. I’d pay that easily …”
“Yeth,” Fifi said, pursing her still swollen lips. “You’d pay that eathily with Aunty Arabella’th credit cardth …”
“I told you to shut up about that,” Tick said, waving the bottle in Fifi’s face.
“Tick,” Chanza’s voice was rising. “Give me the bottle …”
The bottle was fizzing dangerously. Little bubbles and the odd puff of gas were escaping from around the cork.
Toby came marching over. “Put that down,” he ordered. “You’re going to hurt somebody.” He grabbed the bottle.
“No, I’m not,” shouted Tick, trying to grab the bottle back.
Toby held tight. His eyes were fixed on Shardonnay as she approached the last jump.
“Give it back!” yelled Tick, shoving Toby with his shoulder.
The bottle hit the railing. The cork exploded out of the bottle, shot across the arena and hit Shardonnay on the bottom as she leaned forward to clear the jump. She screamed and bounced forward onto Oreo’s neck.
He spooked and jumped to the side. She fell off into the ditch. In a flash she was up, grabbing her crop and beating Oreo viciously. “You stupid horse,” she yelled. “You threw me! I had this round in the bag! You deserve to be made into dog food!”
Jamie jumped off McTavish. She ducked under the railing and sprinted over to Oreo. “Don’t you DARE WHIP THAT HORSE!” she screamed, grabbing Shardonnay’s crop and breaking it over her knee. Then she grabbed Oreo’s reins and talked to him gently. “Come on, Boy,” she whispered, “come with me.”
Shardonnay shoved her aside. “This is my horse,” she screeched. “I’ve bought him. Get away.”
“Contestant is disqualified,” called the judge over the loudspeaker. “Abuse of the whip. No-one may hit their horse more than three times. Will Shardonnay Barker-Polls come to the judges table immediately to receive her fine.”
Liberty Barker-Polls marched over to the judges table.
“I want Jamie Waine banned from all shows,” she said, slamming her fist on the table. “Her brother deliberately sabotaged my daughter as she was taking that jump, and she broke a very expensive riding crop. I demand that my daughter be allowed to begin this round again or my husband shall withdraw his sponsorship of any further events.”
The judges conferred in hushed tones. Their faces were anxious – abuse of a horse was a serious offence, but without the Barker-Polls-sponsorship there would be no show.
A few minutes later the commentator announced. “Competitor number eight, Shardonnay Barker-Polls, to begin again.”
“I told you, get away!” Shardonnay shouted at Jamie, who was still trying to calm Oreo down. She wrenched the reins from her hand and got back into the saddle. This time her round was clear.
“First place goes to Shardonnay Barker-Polls on Oreo,” announced the commentator.
Shardonnay cantered up to the judge’s table, smiling smugly. Jamie felt sick. Why had it all gone so wrong? She had to go and find Mrs Bunhoffer and beg her to let her buy Oreo. She couldn’t bear the thought of Oreo being whipped every time Shardonnay got into a bad mood.
24
Please, Mrs Bunhoffer
“Jamie, that’s so unfair,” Pan exclaimed as she and Jamie rode back to the stables to un-tack their horses. “Shardonnay shouldn’t have been given another chance. That’s like CONDONING cruelty to animals. I wish someone from the SPCA had been here.”
But Mrs Bunhoffer was waiting as Shardonnay trotted back to the stables. She took Oreo by the bridle. “Please get off,” she ordered. “You will not be buying my Oreo. I am not selling him to a girl who uses her whip so cruelly. First I have lost my Persian cat Pushkina, while I was in Germany, and now I find you are abusing my Oreo.”
Shardonnay scowled as she slid off Oreo. “My dad is going to be very angry,” she barked.
“He’ll phone his lawyer. Mom,” she wailed as Liberty Barker-Polls came running up, “she says I can’t have Oreo. It’s not fair. I want him!” and she burst into tears.
“We have a verbal agreement,” Liberty said, narrowing her eyes. “You can’t just change your mind on a whim.”
It was now or never. “Please, Mrs Bunhoffer,” Jamie said pushing her way past Shardonnay. “Please, can I buy him? I have the money. I won’t ever hit him, I promise.”
Mrs Bunhoffer’s face softened. “I saw how you treated him, Jamie. I am certain you will never use the whip on him.”
“You won’t have money for anything,” Liberty Barker-Polls snarled, “when you’ve finished paying for the riding crop you broke. And for the emotional distress you caused my daughter. I’m phoning my lawyer right now.”
Jamie felt like crying. Shardonnay was gloating as her mother took out her cell phone. They were probably going to take every last cent of her savings.
“There thhe ith, Aunty Arabella,” a squeaky voice called. Fifi came runni
ng into the yard, followed by Arabella. “You thhould’ve theen how Thardonnay thmacked the poor horthie. He wath nearly thcreaming. I think thhe mutht have fractured hith thpine.”
Arabella looked Oreo over carefully. “He has extensive soft tissue trauma here.” She examined his skin. “Severe bruising of the skin in association with a large subcutaneous haematoma. Possible stress related cardiac arrythmia and maybe some exercise induced pulmonary haemorrhage, although I don’t see any signs of epistaxis,” she said examining Oreo’s nose with a worried frown.
Jamie gasped in concern at the list of frightening medical terms. Shardonnay looked bored.
Arabella turned to Liberty. “Shardonnay has caused him significant damage. It will be very expensive to restore him to health – at least fifteen thousand rand …”
“You will pay for this,” Mrs Bunhoffer snapped. “You will pay through the nose.”
Liberty looked shocked. “I told you not to beat him,” she snarled at Shardonnay. “Your father is going to be furious.”
“Of course, I might be prepared to treat him for free, if you drop the charges against my daughter,” Arabella said smoothly.
“Come on, Mom,” Shardonnay said. “I don’t want that stupid horse anyway. I want a Pintabian like Pan’s. But better. And more expensive. And a new saddle.” She marched off towards the car.
“You were always a bossy little cow,” Liberty said poking Arabella in the chest, “and I’m not surprised you live in a cheap little house that smells like poo, with children that look like they live down sewers.” And she stormed off swinging her handbag and pushing people out of the way.
Arabella puffed up, ready to tell Liberty what she thought of her, but Jamie pulled her arm.
“Mom, is Oreo really hurt? Will he be okay?” Her heart was thudding. Poor Oreo. Had Shardonnay really injured him that badly?
“He’ll be fine,” Arabella said with a smile. “I suddenly remembered what a bully Liberty was, so I decided to give her a taste of her own medicine.”
“So can I buy him, please Mrs Bunhoffer?” Jamie asked.
Mrs Bunhoffer paused. “I am not so sure I can bear to part with him. I was going to take my darling Pushkina to Germany with me, when she had her kittens, but now she is gone. Perhaps I will take Oreo with me instead.”
Arabella paused. “Your cat, is she a white Persian?”
“Ja. My Pushkina. I left her with the house sitter when I went to Germany and she ran away. By the time I got back it was too late. The house sitter said she looked everywhere but no-one had seen her.”
“I know where thhe ith,” Fifi squeaked. “Jamie’th friend Pan’th got her. And her babieth. They give me allergieth …”
“The girls found her at the mall,” Arabella explained quickly. “She’d been run over. I delivered the kittens by Caesarean section. The girls helped me, and we nursed her back to health. Pan’s looking after them …”
“Here’s a photo,” Jamie said, taking out her phone. “Is this her?”
“My Pushkina!” Mrs Bunhoffer cried, kissing the phone. “Take me to her. We must go at once.”
25
Reunited
It was an excited Mrs Bunhoffer who arrived at Pan’s house a little while later.
“How can I ever make it up to you,” she said, again and again, hugging Pushkina. “I thought I had lost her forever.”
“It’s okay,” Jamie said, feeling sad for Pan. “You don’t have to give us anything.”
“I will pay all the hospital bills, of course,” Mrs Bunhoffer said to Arabella. “And I want to give the girls something to say thank you.”
Pan lifted the kittens into the cat carrier, and closed the lid. “Here are their toys,” she said flatly, “and there’s a half packet of cat food. I won’t be needing it now.” And a tear dropped onto the lid.
“Don’t cry,” Mrs Bunhoffer said. “I cannot take the kittens back to Germany. Or maybe I will take one. Would you like to adopt one, Pan?”
Pan’s face was shining. “Really? Can I please have Little Grey?”
“Of course.”
“They’re too young to leave their mother yet,” Arabella said. “I think they should go home with Mrs Bunhoffer now until she leaves for Germany.”
“Wonderful,” Mrs Bunhoffer said. “Then I can get to know them too. Splendid, splendid. And now I must take them home. Will you carry them to the car for me, Pan?”
Jamie followed them down the path to the car. Mrs Bunhoffer hadn’t said anything about Oreo, and she couldn’t ask again. It would be rude.
Carefully Mrs Bunhoffer loaded them into the back of her BMW. “I can never thank you enough,” she said, getting into the driver’s seat and starting the car. Arabella took Jamie’s hand and squeezed it. Jamie felt like her chest was going to burst. Had Mrs Bunhoffer forgotten all about her?
“Goodbye for now,” Mrs Bunhoffer called, revving the engine.
Jamie swallowed the lump in her throat. She couldn’t cry – not out here in front of everyone.
But Fifi went running up to Mrs Bunhoffer’s window. “Tho can Jamie buy Oreo? Pleathe thay yeth. Then if he getth African Horthe Thickness Aunty Arabella can fixth him. And I can help her. I know lotth and lotth about all thortth of thicknetheth.”
Mrs Bunhoffer stopped the car. “Yes, of course,” she said. “I was so excited about Pushkina that I totally forgot. Of course, Jamie, he is yours, and I will give you a discount, and throw in his saddle for free.”
Jamie was about to answer when there was a loud bang from the station wagon. A cork flew out of the window, followed by a stream of ginger beer.
“Aha, I see you have taken out the champagne already,” Mrs Bunhoffer laughed. “Jolly good show.”
Jamie was ecstatic as the family drove home. Oreo was hers. At last she had a horse of her own.
The beautiful Anglo Arab horse, Oreo, is for sale and Jamie has her heart set on him. But her mom has more important things to buy than ponies. Time is running out and it looks like the bratty new girl, Shardonnay, may be putting in an offer before Jamie can scrape together the money. Meanwhile the professor’s underpants are still disappearing, Tick and his pet monkey are up to their usual mischief and Toby is desperately hoping for a date with Shardonnay. Will Jamie ever get to ride Oreo in the competition?
Jamie’s mother is a vet and life among all kinds of adorable pets is never dull. This is the second title in this humorous series bursting with adventurous animal antics.
Other publications by Helen Brain are: Who’s Afraid Of Spiders, My hart klop muffins, Fly Cemetery and other Juicy Stories and Will and Joe and the Great Pirate Rescue. In addition to writing books, Helen regularly writes feature articles for magazines, and is also a freelance editor. At present she has a website where she gives information and tips for new and established authors. Helen lives in Mowbray, Cape Town.
Nicky Webb is a practicing vet and lives in Port Elizabeth.
Rico Schacherl is most known as illustrator for his very popular and iconic Madam and Eve strip cartoon. He has also illustrated children’s books for overseas publishers.
Jamie and the Magic Whistle
First English edition in 2014 by Human & Rousseau,
an imprint of NB Publishers,
a division of Media24 Boeke (Pty) Ltd,
40 Heerengracht, Cape Town, South Africa
P.O. Box 5050, Cape Town, 8000, South Africa
www.humanrousseau.com
Copyright © 2015 in text by Helen Brain and Nicky Webb
Copyright © 2015 in illustrations by Rico Schacherl
All rights reserved.
No part of this electronic book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including photocopying and recording, or by any other information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher.
Visit Helen at www.helenbrain.co.za
Visit Rico at www.rico.co.za
Cover desig
n by Rico Schacherl and Tracey Witbooi
E-book design: Trace Digital Services
Available in print:
First edition in 2015
ISBN: 978-0-7981-7063-5
Epub edition:
First edition in 2015
ISBN: 978-0-7981-7064-2 (epub)
Mobi edition:
First edition in 2015
ISBN: 978-0-7981-7065-9 (mobi)
