Solar Panel Caretaker

I aimlessly trudged through the garden path, bending only to pick up a stick so that my dog would have something to chase while I wallowed in the sunshine.

I tossed a hefty branch and she bolted after it, a flash of gold dashing across the grass, great red tongue hanging out of her mouth. I almost laughed at the sight, as she disappeared down the hill. I looked back at the house, shuttered up since everybody had left for the winter, and my gloomy disposition reasserted itself. 

Not for the first time, I found myself wishing I’d never taken this caretaking job. It was fun during the summer months, when the great mansion’s family returned for their time in the sun, but it quickly turned sour whenever the clouds returned and the rain grew cold and ever-present. 

I assessed my mental checklist, all of the things I’d been charged with fixing during the break, as the dog arrived back with an entirely different stick in her mouth. The owners had been talking about installing a new 500kW solar power system in the building, to cut back on their immense power bills, but a quick glance online had shown me that it was probably much, much more than they needed – designed more for large companies than large residences.

Picking up the imitation stick, I hurled it towards the horizon again, smiling gently at the subsequent rush of gold.

Where had they even gotten the idea of installing a commercial solar power system? Melbourne? It seemed likely – they came up with all sorts of strange ideas in the big city.

It would be a good idea at least; part of my responsibilities involved occasionally glancing at an electricity bill, and they could certainly do with the relief.

Well, normal people could have done with it. These people were rich enough to lasso the sun itself if they wanted to.

I sighed again – just in time for the dog to reappear with yet another totally different stick.