La Strada Da Seguire: The Road to Follow

by Susan Toscan

  “No shit!” Michael replied, surprised and delighted at the reaction to his suggestion.

  “Look, I don’t want to hijack your idea, but why don’t we put our heads together?” Steven suggested. “We could do this as a business, and what better business partner than your best friend?”

  Michael’s enthusiasm was obvious. “Steven, with your knowledge and experience in breeding sheep and mine in the shearing and wool-classing side of things, I reckon we could develop a unique stock line that would provide diversification in the industry. I really believe that wool is the future for Australia. But we need to use our initiative to give us an edge because the industry’s already growing quickly.”

  Michael was amazed that his idea had all of a sudden developed into an opportunity for the two friends to start a business. “I think the first thing we need to do is some more research. I know a bloke who works in the bulk wool store in Sydney who could help us. I’ll write to him and get as much information as I can, and then we can decide on the best breeds to think about buying.”

  His expression changed from excitement to concern. “The main problem is, mate, I just don’t have the funds. I have a bit put aside from some money that my mum left me, but it’s certainly nowhere near enough. It’s really frustrating, but without the money, where do I go from here?”

  Steven was watching his friend closely. He could see Michael’s excitement turn to frustration. Over the many years they had known each other, Steven had become aware that Michael hated conflict and indecision; he liked things to be very straightforward—black and white. When things got too difficult, he would just walk away. Steven knew that he would have to manage these issues with Michael if they were to start a business together. He also knew that Michael would listen to him, so he needed to be prepared to guide him through the tough negotiations involved in starting a business and getting funding. Steven was very practical and having worked with his father for so long in their family business, he was very aware of the pitfalls and complications that would lie ahead of them.

  “Michael, let’s sleep on this for a few days. We’ll start slowly. You contact your friend in Sydney, and I’ll talk to my father. He may be willing to give us that back paddock to start with, and if I ask nicely, he might let me use my interest in the property as collateral for us to go to the bank for a loan. Just leave it with me. We can do this, my friend, but it will take time and planning.”

  Michael looked open-mouthed at Steven. “Are you for real? I have so little to offer as collateral. I can’t ask you to take all the risk.”

  By the strain in his friend’s voice, Steven could hear as well as see that Michael was becoming agitated. “Come on, mate; calm down. You’ve just given me an amazing idea for a business that we could build. We could have a very promising future if we play this right. Let’s talk to the girls, and then we can meet up again later in the week. We can do this, Michael. You have to trust me as well as yourself.” Steven patted Michael’s shoulder, and then they shook hands.

  “That was some afternoon chat, mate!” Michael said as they parted.

  “I had no idea that my dream might actually take off, but if it does, I really like the idea of sharing it with you.”

  Michael arrived home tired but excited after talking through his business idea with Steven. He waited until he had finished dinner and Frances and Patricia were down for the night, and then he poured a glass of wine for himself and Agnes and went to sit on the porch with his wife as the two often did after the girls went to bed. “Agnes, Steven and I had a long chat today about what we would like to do—you know, in the future.”

  “Ye-es, okay — are we talking about working-type future here, Michael?”

  “Sorry, love; let me start again. You know how I’ve been talking about building a stock of fine-wool sheep?”

  Agnes nodded, giving Michael her full attention. “Yes, of course, you’ve talked about it for some time.” She noted the look on her husband’s face and picked up on his growing excitement. “Does Steven have an interest in your idea?” she got out of her chair to walk to the door to listen for the girls and then walked back to where Michael was sitting.

  “Smart girl, aren’t you?” Michael smiled at her.

  “You two are very different in your personalities, but you certainly complement each other, so it doesn’t surprise me that Steven would be supportive of your idea.”

  “Well as a matter of fact, he is more than supportive. He wants us to go into business together. What do you think of that?” asked Michael, looking a little smug. He reached out, grabbed Agnes around the waist and sat her on his lap.

  “I have a million questions at the moment—starting with how, when and where—but we can get to that later!” Agnes kissed her husband firmly on the lips. “I have always told you, Michael, that you will do something amazing with your life. I have every confidence that you and Steven will make this idea of yours work, and of course I will support you in any way I can. I love you, darling.”

  Agnes had to admit to herself that even though she did not fully understand what the boys would be doing, her husband was obviously so excited about the project that she could not help but get caught up in it all.

  She did have her concerns about how Michael would cope with everything, but she knew that he would take this new responsibility very seriously. She just had to stay positive and watch him carefully. When Michael had started in his new position a while back, she had noticed that as his stress levels increased, so did his drinking. Agnes was sure that he was not aware that the two were connected, but she was just as certain that he used his drinking as a coping mechanician. She would have to have a talk with Steven. She knew that he would understand her concerns.

  The boys talked again at the end of the month. Michael had received a reply from his contact at the Sydney bulk wool store. This was the main outlet used by manufacturers to purchase wool, and the information that he received was that the fashion industry—at home as well as overseas—was crying out for fine-wool products.

  Steven also had some positive news. “Michael, my dad’s a bit cautious about our proposed plans, but he has no objection to us using the back paddock. He still insists that I keep up with my duties on the sheep station. As long as what we do doesn’t interrupt the running of the station, he’s happy for us to proceed with our plans.”

  Michael visibly let out the breath he had been holding. “Steven, that is the best news you could have given me.”

  “Wait—there is more,” Steven said with a smirk of satisfaction on his face. “The other bit of good news is that Dad is going to talk to our accountant to ask his advice on how we can obtain some funds to get us started. Of course, we’ll have to sign a contract to say that we will pay him back with our very first shearing cheque.” Steven smiled ruefully. “Cagey old bugger—he still has the first pound he ever made—but he certainly has made some pounds in his time, so I think that we will be okay. Dad will put up the collateral for us to go to the bank for a loan. I’ve worked out some figures, and depending on the price per head, we should be able to afford to purchase enough ewes and a couple of rams to get us started.”

  Steven was talking excitedly now. Michael listened, unable to believe his ears. “Do you mean that we can actually get started with buying some stock?”

  “Yep. I think that within the next couple of months, we should be able to get to the sales in Wagga. Dad gave me some information on the Spanish merinos. They’re reputed to be producing extremely fine wool, but they haven’t been tried in this area as yet. Dad is sceptical—he thinks with our dry climate we may not achieve the same results that they’re getting in the higher country—but what have we got to lose?”

  “Well, partner, it looks like we will go into debt together—and I can’t wait.” Michael shook Steven’s hand.

  Michael read everything he could get his hands on about the Spanish merinos. The breed’s bloodline could be traced back to the early days of settlement,
and they were renowned for good fleece weights. He also read that early experiments with cross-breeding the Spanish with the Saxon merino were showing promising results but mainly in South Australia. He even had a good talk with Tom about what he and Steven planned to do. Tom was very supportive and encouraging, and Michael decided to introduce him to Steven.

  “Very happy to help you young blokes; just let me know what you need me to do,” was Tom’s helpful comment.

  Steven was impressed with the older man’s practical approach. “Thanks, Tom. Michael and I will certainly need some guidance along the way, and your experience would be appreciated.”

  It took eight weeks of discussions with accountants and Steven’s father to get everything finalised. Michael felt as if he had signed his life away, but he was still excited, although a little nervous. He was also getting annoyed with Steven, who kept fussing and asking him how he was. “Are you good with all this, mate? Are you sure that you’re all right? I don’t want you to get too stressed, you know; it will all work out.”

  “For goodness’ sake, Steven, stop talking to me as if I’m a child! I’m good, I know what we’re doing, and yes, I am nervous, but I’m looking forward to us getting it all underway. So back off. Between you and Agnes, I am starting to doubt myself!”

  Steven was quick to reassure him. “I’m sorry, mate. It’s just that I know this is a big deal, and I want to be sure that I haven’t overwhelmed you with all the paperwork.”

  “Well I guess ‘overwhelmed’ is a good word, but I’m on top of it all. Those fancy fashion places in Paris and Italy can’t get enough of our Aussie wool. So I say let’s get some sheep-breeding going, and let’s knock ‘em dead.” Michael said this with a bravado that he did not feel. He had been fighting panic attacks, but he would not tell that to Steven or Agnes. He was determined to handle this; he just had to take it one step at a time.

  That night, when he returned home, Michael explained the situation to Agnes. “The next step is for Steven and me to take the truck and go to Wagga to attend the sheep sales. We have information that there’ll be Spanish merinos for sale. We intend to buy at least two rams at the sale, but if the price is good, we might get three or four. Then in a couple of months time, we’ll travel to South Australia to try to buy the Saxon merino ewes. After that, nature will take its course, and with any luck, by the end of the year we could be shearing our first yield of fine wool.”

  “Well that sounds ambitious, but I suppose you have to start somewhere. When do you plan on leaving?” Agnes asked.

  “We’ll go next week. Hopefully, we can do it in one day.”

  Agnes was feeling a little concerned about their limited funds, but she did not want to discourage Michael in any way. Instead, she made a joke. “Well, darling, we won’t starve. We can always eat the sheep if the wool thing doesn’t work out!” She quickly ducked as a cushion came flying towards her.

  As they had never gone into debt before, Agnes and Renata were both a little daunted by the new business venture. Renata and Steven’s wedding was only months away, and Renata was getting anxious.

  “It’s all a bit scary, Renata, but I do believe that Michael and Steven know what they’re doing. This is their dream, and they really need our support. We have to make sure that we don’t say anything to discourage them.”

  “I agree. And Steven’s father certainly wouldn’t have put up the collateral for the loan if he weren’t confident that the boys could make a success of this venture. He’s a grumpy old bugger, but he’s very proud of Steven—and he’s a good businessman. I’m happy that Steven and Michael are in this together; they keep each other balanced.”

  Agnes looked very serious as she replied. “I’m glad too that we’re all in this together. It will be good for Michael. It will stretch him, but he actually needs to be pushed a little. Then hopefully his confidence will improve. He’s such a good man, but he really needs to believe in himself more. I’m so grateful to you and Steven for helping to make his dream a reality.”

  Michael and Steven set off for Wagga hoping to return home with at least two rams. They arrived at the sale yards early, and things were already hectic. The dust and flies as well as the very distinct smell of the yards added to the atmosphere of excitement. Sheep were noisily crowding into various pens. Men were shouting directions to the barking dogs that were driving the sheep, and potential buyers were thronging around the fenced pens to inspect the animals. The constant bleating of the sheep and the loud speaker that the auctioneer was using created a deafening noise, but Michael and Steven were oblivious to it all. They were focused on the rams they were inspecting.

  The boys were very lucky that day. There were not too many buyers wanting Spanish merinos, so they managed to get a hold of four rather large rams. The price was within the amount they had allowed, and they felt very pleased with themselves.

  However, they were not so pleased when it came time to load the large, obstinate sheep into the back of their truck using a makeshift ramp. The rams just looked at Michael and Steven, displaying a total lack of interest in getting onto the truck.

  The boys tried pushing the sheep up the ramp and ended up falling down on the ground, partly out of exhaustion and partly because they could not stop laughing. “We actually think that we’re going to get this lot to breed a line of fine-wool sheep, and we can’t even get them up the ramp,” said Michael, who was now almost hysterical.

  His partner was becoming less and less inclined to see the funny side of their situation. Steven was not happy with the uncooperative stock. He went back over to the sale yards and asked the first farmer he saw if he had a sheepdog with him.

  “Sure have; Blue is in me truck over there,” the friendly farmer replied.

  “Look, mate, I’m having a bit of a problem loading my rams. Stupid creatures they are. Would you mind if I borrowed your dog to help us out?”

  The farmer could see that Steven looked slightly frazzled, so he whistled to Blue, who dashed to his side and waited for his instructions.

  Together they walked over to where Michael was standing and looking at the stubborn sheep happily grazing alongside the vehicle. The farmer whistled to his dog, and after various whistle codes, Blue went to work.

  At first, the lazy sheep looked at the dog with disdain and disinterest, but they were not happy with the aggressive dog continually yapping at them, and they eventually tried to take off in the opposite direction to the truck. The dog was more experienced than Michael and Steven in this area, however, and he quickly got in front of the sheep and finally drove them up the ramp onto the back of the vehicle.

  “Well done, Blue,” Michael said as he gave the dog an appreciative pat. The boys thanked the farmer very much for the loan of his dog.

  “Good thinking, mate,” Michael said to Steven as he patted his friend on the shoulder.

  “Well if I’d left it up to you, we would’ve never got the stubborn creatures home,” Steven replied, laughing.

  They were very relieved that they could finally get on the road again. They wouldn’t reach home until well after dark, but at least they could put the rams into the allocated paddock to await the arrival of the ewes. It would be at least another month, maybe more, before they could go to South Australia for the sheep sale there.

  Michael finally arrived home dirty and exhausted. He knew he had to be careful not to wake the girls, but he desperately needed a bath. Agnes had been listening for him, and she jumped up when she heard his truck pull into the yard. She met her husband at the door and immediately started to giggle.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “You look like you’ve been in a mud fight, not at a sheep sale,” she said, bursting into laughter. Even though she obviously found his condition amusing, she took pity on him as it was clear that he had had a very hard day. “A bath is definitely in order. And I have left some food out for you,” she said as she started towards the bathroom. She took the saucepan of water that had been sitting on t
he stove and added it to the already warm bath as Michael stripped off his dirty clothes.

  Once his bath was ready, Michael sank down into the hot water, feeling the exhaustion of the day melt away. Agnes sat beside the bath and asked him to tell her about the sale yards. As he did so, she just kept laughing. “You and Steven are going to have to get more professional if you’re going to make a career out of breeding sheep. If you keep this, up no-one will take you two seriously!”

  At that comment, Michael reached over and pulled his wife into the bath with him. She got such a surprise that at first she put up a struggle, but not for long. Michael was kissing her neck, and she no longer wanted to laugh or resist. It felt so good to be playful and naughty that she stripped off her wet nightgown.

  Is it really possible to

  have a happy marriage?

  Michael was enjoying his family life and working hard to build his business. He was also managing to control his constantly recurring anxiety. Steven was a good influence on him, and Michael trusted him as a friend as well as a business partner.

  At the end of winter, a couple of months after the purchase of the rams, the men were finally able to make the long trip to South Australia to purchase the Saxon ewes. There was to be a sheep sale in the Adelaide Hills area, and they had been told that some good stock would be available.

  It would take about four days to get to Adelaide and the same time for the return trip. Both men had been looking forward to the trip. They had friends along the way whom they could stay with, and they would also be camping out quite a bit. Michael and Steven would not be bringing the sheep home with them this time; they would have to send them to Griffith by train. They hoped to be able to purchase up to 100 head, but they had to wait to see what the prices would be like before making a decision on the number of sheep that they could afford.