F I R S TS T OR Y . T r a n s p o r t
“ Mo v eo u t o f t h ewa y ! ”s h o u t e dt h er a g g i n gb u s d r i v e r o nag l o o myMo n d a ymo r n i n g , a sS a r a hr a n a c r o s st h eQu e e nE l i z a b e t hS q u a r e . Af t e r h a v i n ga d r e a d f u l mo r n i n gwi t hl o u s yb u s e sa n dc r a n k y p a s s e n g e r ss h ej u s t c o u l d n ’ t g e t a wa yu n n o t i c e d , wh a t e v e r s h ed i d . S q u i r mi n gh e r wa yt h r o u g ht h e d i r t y , c r o wd e ds t r e e t s , s h ef i n a l l ya r r i v e da t t h e d o o r s t e po f h e r 1 0s t o r e yo f f i c e . S a r a hs t e p p e do u t o f t h ee l e v a t o r a n ds h es l o wl y wa l k e dt o wa r d sh e r d e s kg r e e t i n gh e r u n g r a t e f u l c o l l e a g u e sa l o n gt h ewa y . T h emo me n t s h ea r r i v e d a t h e r d e s kMi r a n d awa l k e di nwi t hah a n df u l l o f p a r c e l sr e a d yt ob ed r o p p e do f f . “ S a r a hd r o p p e dt h e s eo f f a t t h ep o s t o f f i c en o w a n do nt h ewa yb a c kg r a bmyc o f f e e , o h , a n dt a k e myc a r ”S a i dMi r a n d aa ss h et h r e wh e r c o a t o n S a r a h ’ sd e s kwi t hal a r g es mi r ka c r o s sh e r f a c e . Cu r s i n gt h ej o u r n e yb a c kd o wnt h ee l e v a t o r a n d d r i v i n go u t o nt ot h eb u s ys t r e e t s , S a r a ha r r i v e di n f r o n t o f t h ep o s t o f f i c e . “ He y ! E x c u s eme ! ! ! Yo uc a n ’ t p a r kh e r e . ” Ye l l e dama n , wi t hav e r yb o t h e r s o mee x p r e s s i o n o nh i sf a c e . “ Do n ’ t y o us e et h eNOP ARKI NG s i g n ? ” “ I ’ mr e a l l ys o r r yi t wi l l o n l yt a k eas e c o n d ! ! ” y e l l e db a c ka sS a r a hr a ni n s i d e . “ Wh a t d oy o u e x p e c t , t h i sp l a c eh a sn oP a r k i n ga v a i l a b l e . . . ” wh i s p e r e du n d e r h e r b r e a t ha ss h eg o t i n t ot h e q u e u e .
AsS a r a hs t o o dwa i t i n gf o r h e r t u r ns h ewa s d i s t r a c t e db yac h i l d , s t a r i n ga t h e r , t h e ns u d d e n l y s h es mi l e d , S a r a hs mi l e db a c k . S a r a ht h o u g h t h o w s u c has ma l l g e s t u r ec a nma k es u c hab i g d i f f e r e n c e . “ Ne x t p l e a s e , ”S a r a h ’ st h o u g h t swe r eb r o k e na t t h es o u n do f l a d yi nab r i g h t r e du n i f o r m. S u r p r i s i n g l yd u et h eh e l po f p l e a s a n t a s s i s t a n c e S a r a hwa sa b l et oh u r r yb a c kt ot h ec a r . Mi r a n d awa sa no l dl a d yi nh e r l a t ef o r t i e swi t h v e r yp r e c i s et a s t ea n do p i n i o n s . He r a s s i s t a n t mu s t a l wa y sa r r i v ea t t h eo f f i c eb e f o r eh e r , h e r a s s i s t a n t mu s t a l s od r e s swi t hh e r h a i r t i e du pa n dh e r s h i r t t u c k e di n . Mi r a n d a ’ sl u n c hmu s t a r r i v eo nh e r t a b l e a t 1 2 p ms h a r p . An dt h eONL Yc o f f e eMi r a n d a d r i n k si saS t a r b u c k st a l l c a p p u c c i n o swi t ho n ea n d ah a l f s u g a r s . Un f o r t u n a t e l yS a r a hh a dt h ej o bo f d e l i v e r i n gh e r c o f f e ee v e r ymo r n i n gf r o mat we n t y mi n u t ewa l ku pt h ema i nc i t yS t r e e t a n dd o wn a g a i n . “ I wo n d e r i f i t h a dn o t o c c u r r e dt ot h ep e o p l e d e s i g n i n gt h ema l l t oh a v ead e c e n t c a f éa si t i s s u r r o u n d e db yt h o u s a n d so f p e o p l eh e a d i n gt owo r k e v e r ymo r n i n g . ”Mu mb l e dS a r a ha ss h ef i n a l l yg o t b a c kt owo r k .
S E CONDS T OR Y . He r i t a g e
Wh e nS a r a hh a dg o t b a c kMi r a n d ah a da l r e a d yl e f t f o r h e r mo r n i n gt e ame e t i n ga n dh a dl e f t an o t eo n h e r t a b l e , “ Bi l l c a l l e dmea n ds a i dh eh a dn o t r e c e i v e dt h e e ma i l I a s k e dt ob es e n t t wod a y sa g oma k es u r ei t i sd o n eAS AP ! ” S a r a hwa sr e l i e v e da t t h en o t ea n dwa sg r a t e f u l f o r h e r a b s e n c e sa t t h et i me , s h et o o kad e e pb r e a t ha n d s a n ki n t oh e r o f f i c ec h a i r . Of t e nwh e nS a r a hh a d s o met i met os p a r es h ewo u l dl o o ko u t h e r wi n d o w, h e r v i e wo f t h eDi l wo r t hb u i l d i n gwo u l da l wa y s s o o t hh e r mi n da n dt h eb u s yu r b a na t mo s p h e r e , d r a i n i n ga wa yt h el o u db u s yr o a d so u t s i d e . S a r a hn e v e r r e a l l yf a n c i e du r b a n i s ma n dmo d e r n b u i l d i n g s , s h ee n j o y e dt h eh i s t o r i c a l wa r mt hi n h e r i t a g e . He r o p i n i o n so nt h emo d e r nb u i l d i n g s b e i n gb u i l t i nt h ec i t yc e n t r ewe r ej u s t , d r e a d f u l . S a r a hwa sa l wa y sf o n do f f a i r yt a l e sa sac h i l da n d t h eh i s t o r i c a l b u i l d i n g ss e e me de n c h a n t i n gl i k et h e c a s t l e si nt h et a l e s , b r i n g i n gh a p p i n e s sa n dwa r mt h . L i k es o mes o r t o f s p e l l t h ep e a c es h a t t e r e da t t h e s o u n do f Mi r a n d a ’ sv o i c e , g e t t i n gag l i mp s eo f h e r g r i ns p r e a da c r o s sh e r f a c ewa l k i n gt o wa r d sh e r a l o n gt h ev e r ys h o r t c o r r i d o r . S a r a ht i l t e dh e r h e a d , r o l l i n gh e r e y e sa n df a c i n gMi r a n d awi t has o u r s mi l e .
“ S a r a hd i dy o us e n dt h ee ma i l ? ”s a i dMi r a n d a t a p p i n gt h ef r o n t o f h e r s h o e , “ I d o n ’ t p a yy o ut os i t a r o u n dl o o k i n go u t t h ewi n d o wa l l d a y . ” “ I s e n t i t a ss o o na sI s a wt h en o t e , I ’ ms o r r y , I mu s t o f f o r g o t t e na b o u t i t . ”S a i dS a r a ht r y i n gt o l o o ka ss i n c e r ea ss h ep o s s i b l yc o u l d . S a r a hc o u l d mi mi cwh a t wa sa b o u t t oh a p p e nn e x t , “ S a r a h , o u r c o mp a n yd i dn o t g e t t owh e r ewea r e n o wb ya p o l o g i s i n gf o r o u r mi s t a k e s , wej u s t d o n ’ t ma k et h e m! Ke e p i n go u r b u s i n e s si nt h et r a d i n g ma r k e t , wh e r ewea r el o c a t e dwi t hah i s t o r yo f T r a d e su pt ot woh u n d r e dy e a r si sa na ma z i n g a c h i e v e me n t , a n dy o u ! Yo ud on o t s e e mt o a p p r e c i a t ea n yo f t h i s ! ”Ye l l e dMi r a n d aa n d s t o mp e do f f i n t oh e r o f f i c e . Mi r a n d awo u l ds a ye x a c t l yt h es a met h i n g , e v e r y t i mes o me o n ema d eami s t a k e , e v e r y o n ei nt h e o f f i c ec o u l di mi t a t et h ewa ys h eu s e dh e r h a n d sa n d t h ev o i c eo f h e r t o n e . S a r a hq u i e t l yk n o c k e do nMi r a n d a ’ sd o o r . “ Kn o c k , k n o c k ” “ Wh a t ! ”Ye l l e dMi r a n d a . S a r a hj u mp e da t t h et o n eo f Mi r a n d a ’ sv o i c ea n ds l o wl ywa l k e di n t o h e r o f f i c e .
T HI R DS T OR Y . P u b l i c s p a c e
On eo f S a r a h ’ smo s t i mp o r t a n t r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s d u r i n gt h ed a ywa st oo r d e r Mi r a n d a ’ sl u n c ha n d g e t i t t oh e r t a b l eb y1 2p ms h a r p . On c et h i sh a s b e e nc o mp l e t e dS a r a hwa sa l s og i v e no n eh o u r f o r h e r l u n c ht i me . Co n s i d e r i n gMi r a n d a ’ sp e r s o n a l i t y i t s e e msv e r yg e n e r o u so f h e r . Du et ob e i n gs u r r o u n d e db yc o mp u t e r sa n dp a p e r s a l l d a yS a r a hwo u l dt a k eh e r p a c k e dl u n c hd o wnt o Qu e e nE l i z a b e t hs q u a r e . S h ewo u l dh a v eh e r l u n c h a n dwo u l de n j o ys me l l i n gt h ef r e s hb r e e z eb yt h e t r e e sb e f o r es h ewo u l dh e a db a c ki n t oh e r o f f i c e . L i k ea n yo t h e r d a yS a r a hma d eh e r wa yd o wna n d t o wa r d sQu e e nE l i z a b e t h ’ sS q u a r e . Wh e r es h e f o u n daf e n c eb l o c k i n go f f t h ee n t r a n c ei n t ot h e p u b l i cs p a c e . S a r a ho v e r h e a r dag r o u po f s t u d e n t swa t c h i n gt h e s p a c eg e t t i n gb l o c k e do f f a c r o s st h er o a d . “ Wh a t ’ sg o i n go nwh ya r et h e yb l o c k i n gi t o f f ? ” s a i dt h eg i r l wi t hab r i g h t r e db a g . “ I d o n ’ t k n o w, I g u e s sweg o t t ag os o me wh e r e e l s e , d a mni t ’ sr e a l l yh a r dt of i n dp l a c e swec a nj u s t h a n ga r o u n df o r f r e e …”s a i dt h ef r i e n da st h e y wa l k e da wa y .
S a r a hwa sa l s of r u s t r a t e da t t h ei d e ao f l o s i n gh e r l u n c ht a b l ea n db o t h e r e db yt h et h o u g h t o f f i n d i n g a n o t h e r . T a k i n gab i gb r e a t hS a r a hs t a r t i n gwa l k i n g t o wa r d st h ewa t e r f r o n t t a k i n gt we n t ymi n u t e so f h e r p r e c i o u sl u n c ht i me . Wh e ns h ef i n a l l ya r r i v e di n f r o n t o f t h ewa t e r f r o n t mo s t o f t h es e a t sh a db e e n t a k e na n ds h ewa sl e f t wi t ht h es t a i r sa t t h es i d e . As a wf u l a si t s o u n d sS a r a hh a dn ot i met oc o mp l a i n . S h ewa sv e r yu n h a p p ywa l k i n gb a c kt ot h eo f f i c e , t h et h o u g h t o f h a v i n gt owa l ks of a r e v e r y d a y a n n o y e dh e r . S h ewa smo r eb o t h e r e dwh e ns h eh a d t owa l ka r o u n dt h es h o p p i n gma l l h a v i n ga l l t h e e n t r a n c e sb e i n gb l o c k e da wa y . Al l S a r a hwa n t e dwa saq u i e t , s o o t h i n gp l a c et os i t a n de a t h e r l u n c he v e r yd a ywi t h o u t t h ed i s t u r b a n c e o f c o mme r c i a l a t t e n t i o n . S h eh a dma d eu ph e r mi n d t ot h i n kp o s i t i v e l ya b o u t t h es i t u a t i o n , “ I g u e s st h e ya r ej u s t d e v e l o p i n gt h es i t ewi t h mo r et r e e sa n df l o we r s ? ”S a r a ht h o u g h t , e x p r e s s i n g h e r e x c i t e me n t o f amo r ee n c h a n t i n gp l a c e .
F OUR T HS T OR Y . I mp r e s s i o n
T h eo f f i c eS a r a hwo r k e di n , a sy o uh a v ea l r e a d y h e a r d , i sat r a d i n gc o mp a n ywi t hag r e a t a mo u n t o f h i s t o r y . I t s t a r t e di nt h ee a r l y1 8 t hc e n t u r ya sa s ma l l o f f i c eo nQu e e nS t r e e t , t h ec o mp a n ywa s me r e l yat i n yt r a d ec o mp a n yt h a t i mp o r t e dg o o d s o u t o f t h ec o u n t r y . Ast i mep a s s e dmo r ea n dmo r ec o mp a n i e si na v a r i e t yo f c o u n t r i e ss t a r t e dl o o k i n gf o r g o o d sf r o m Ne wZ e a l a n d . Ma n yo f t h et r a d e r sv i s i t e dt h e c o u n t r yt h r o u g hs h i p sa n db o a t s , f i r s t l a n d i n ga t t h e Br i t o ma r t d o c k . E v e r yt i meS a r a hwa l k e dp a s t t h ed o c k ss h ewo u l d a l wa y ss i g ha t t h es i t eo f h o wd r e a d f u l Au c k l a n d Ci t yl o o k e d . “ S h o u l d n ’ t i t b et h emo s t e x c i t i n ga n d v i b r a n t p a r t o f t h ec i t ya si t i st h ef i r s t t h i n gy o us e e a sy o ug e t o f f ab o a t ? ”S a r a hwo u l da l wa y ss a ya s s h ewa l k e dp a s t t h eDo wn t o wnS h o p p i n gc e n t r e . Af e wo f Mi r a n d a ’ sc l i e n t swo u l ds a ya st h e yt a k e t h e i r f i r s t s t e pi n t oAu c k l a n d , “ i t ’ s …d a r k e r ?T h e n I e x p e c t e d …”t h e ywo u l da l s oq u e s t i o n“ wa s n ’ t Ne wZ e a l a n ds u p p o s e dt ob eg r e e n , I wa sn o t i ma g i n i n gs h e e pi nt h emi d d l eo f t h ec i t yb u t t h e b u i l d i n g ss e e mt oc a s t as h a d o wo no n ea n o t h e r …”
Mi r a n d ab e i n gt h ev a i nwo me ns h ei swo u l d c o mp l a i nt oS a r a h“ t h ev i s u a l a p p e a r a n c ea n dl a c k o f v a r i e t yo f Au c k l a n dCi t ywa t e r f r o n t i sc h a s i n g a l l myc l i e n t sa wa y ! ”a l t h o u g he v e nMi r a n d a h e r s e l f , c o u l dn o t c h a n g et h i s . Di f f e r e n t p e o p l e , a c c o r d i n gt ot h e i r h o b b i e sa n dl e i s u r ea c t i v i t i e s wa n t e dd i f f e r e n t f a c i l i t i e sa r o u n dt h ewa t e r f r o n t . S a r a h , o f c o u r s e , wa sr e s p o n s i b l ef o r a r r a n g i n gt h e n e e d so f t h ef o r e i g nc u s t o me r s . T oh e r d i s ma yt h e r e wa ss u c had i v e r s ea mo u n t o f d i f f e r e n t a c t i v i t i e s t h ec l i e n t sHADt od od u r i n gt h e i r v i s i t i nNe w Z e a l a n d . Ma n yo f t h ec l i e n t st h a t we r er e v i s i t i n g wo u l da s ka b o u t t h ewe d d i n g sv e n u e si nAu c k l a n d , S a r a hwo u l dg ot h r o u g ht h et r o u b l eo f l o o k i n gf o r a d e s c e n t v e n u eb e c a u s et h e ya d mi r e dt h es c e n e r y o u t s i d eo f Au c k l a n db u t t h e yf o u n di t t o omu c ho f a h a s s l et og os of a r . S a r a hh a dj u s t f i n i s h e dh e r l a s t e a r nt h a t Mi r a n d a h a do r d e r e do nh e r wa yo u t a n dwa sj u s t p a c k i n g h e r t h i n g swh e nt h ep h o n es t a r t e dt or i n g . “ R i n g , r i n g , ”S a r a hh e s i t a t e da n dl o o k e du pa t t h ec l o c k , i t wa st h r e emi n u t e sb e f o r ef i v eo ’ c l o c k . “ He l l o , S a r a hs p e a k i n g , h o wc a nI h e l p ? ”s a i d S a r a hi nt h emo s t c h a r mi n ga n dp o l i t ev o i c ea ss h e p o s s i b l yc o u l da t t h i sh o u r .
“ Hi S a r a hI j u s t r e c e i v e dmys c h e d u l ea n dI n e e d t oma k es o mec h a n g e st omys t a yi nAu c k l a n dn e x t we e k , ” “ y e s s s . He l l oP a t r i c k ”T h i swa st h es e v e n t ht i me P a t r i c kh a dc a l l e dt h i swe e k , i t wa sn o t d i f f i c u l t t o r e c o g n i s eh i sd e ma n d i n gt o n eo f v o i c ea n dh ei st h e o n l yp e r s o nt h a t wo u l dc a l l t h r e emi n u t e sb e f o r e f i v ewh e ne v e r y o n eh a dl e f t . “ I d o n ’ t l i k et h eh o t e l y o up u t mei n , i t h a sn o f a c i l i t i e swh a t s oe v e r a n di t ’ sj u s t s of a r f r o ma l l t h er e s t a u r a n t s . Be s i d e sI d i d n ’ t l i k et h el o o ko f t h a t h o t e l l a s t t i meI we n t , i t ’ ss u r r o u n d e dwi t ha l l t h e s e b u i l d i n g sma k i n gi t l o o ka l l g l o o my ! We r ey o un o t t o l dmywi f ea n dI a r eg o i n gt oNe wZ e a l a n df o r o u r we d d i n ga n n i v e r s a r y ! Ma k es u r ei t ’ sc h a n g e d b yt h et i meI g e t t h e r e ”s a i dP a t r i c ki nav e r y i r r i t a t e dv o i c e , h a n g i n gu pe v e nb e f o r eS a r a hc o u l d h a v et h et i met oa n s we r . S a r a hh a de x p e c t e damo r eb o t h e r s o mer e q u e s t b u t t h ec l i e n t st h a t h a dv i s i t e dAu c k l a n di nt h ep a s t f r e q u e n t l ya s k e dt oc h a n g et h eh o t e l r e s e r v a t i o n s , e s p e c i a l l ya t t h i sh o t e l , e v e nt h o u g hi t wa st h e c l o s e s t h o t e l t ot h eo f f i c e .
F I F T HS T OR Y . P r o g r a mme s
Yo uma yn o t k n o wb u t S a r a hi sf r o mS y d n e y , s h e mo v e dt oAu c k l a n da f t e r r e c e i v i n gaj o bo f f e r a n d h a sb e e nwo r k i n ge v e r s i n c e . E v e r yn i g h t s h e mi s s e dt h el i g h t sa n dt h eo p e ns t o r e sa n dt h eb u s y r o a d swi t hl a t en i g h t s h o p p e r s . S a r a hwo u l da l wa y s mi s st h es h o p p i n gh o u r sd u et oh e r l a t en i g h t sa n d wo u l dn e v e r g e t t h ec h a n c et or e l a x , s h ewa s a l wa y sd i s s a t i s f i e db yt h el i mi t e dp r o g r a ms s u r r o u n dt h ema i nt r a n s p o r t l i n ko f Au c k l a n dCi t y . L i k ea n yo t h e r d a yS a r a hp a c k e dh e r t h i n g sa n dl e f t t h eo f f i c e , t a k i n gat e nmi n u t ewa l kt ob u ys o me g r o c e r i e sa n do nh e r wa yb a c kd r o p p e di nf o r a t r e a t a t h e r f a v o u r i t ed e s s e r t b o u t i q u e . S a r a hf o u n d t h el i g h t so nt h ec e i l i n g sa n do nt h ewa l l so f t h e Br i t o ma r t s q u a r ea b s o l u t e l yma g i c a l . S h ea l wa y s t h o u g h t t h a t t h i sa t mo s p h e r es h o u l db eb r o u g h t d o wnt o wa r d sBr i t o ma r t s t a t i o na n dt h ewa t e r f r o n t . S a r a hs l o wl ywa l k e dt h r o u g ht h en a r r o wb u sa l l y a n do nt h ema i nt r a n s p o r t l a n e . Af t e r wa l k i n g a r o u n ds h ef e l t h u n g r y , l o o k i n ga r o u n df o r ap l a c e t oe a t , S a r a hwa l k e di n t oMcDo n a l d ’ s . “ T h e r ea r en od e c e n t p l a c e st oe a t a r o u n dh e r e a f t e r s i xo ’ c l o c k , a l l t h er e s t a u r a n t sa r ef i n e d i n i n g . . . ”mu mb l e dS a r a ha ss h eg o t i n t ol i n e .
“ Hi c o u l dI p l e a s eh a v eaCh e e s e b u r g e r c o mb o , o ht a k e a wa yp l e a s e . ”s a i dS a r a h “ T h a t ’ ss e v e nd o l l a r se i g h t y . ”T h el a d ya t t h e f r o n t o f t h ec o u n t e r l o o kl i k es o me o n eh a ds c a b b e d t h el a s t o f h e r c h o c o l a t ec a k e , s h el o o k e d mi s e r a b l e , s oS a r a hq u i c k l yp a i df o r h e r me a l a n d mo v e dt ot h es i d e . AsS a r a hwa i t e df o r h e r me a l s h el o o k e do u t o nt o t h es t r e e t wh e r ea na d v e r t i s e me n t o f t h e r e d e v e l o p me n t o f t h ed o wn t o wns h o p p i n gc e n t r e wa sg e t t i n gp u t u po nt ot h es i d eo f ab u ss t o p . S a r a hh o p e df o r s o me t h i n gma g i c a l , s o me t h i n gt h a t a l l o we dt h ev i s i t o r st os t e pi n t oan e wwo r l dwi t h t a l k i n gf l o we r sa n da ne n d l e s ss u mme r . “ Nu mb e r s e v e nh u n d r e da n dt h i r t ys i x ! ”c a u g h t u pi nh e r t h o u g h t sS a r a hh a dn o t r e a l i s e dh e r f o o d wa sr e a d y , wh e ns h eh e a r dh e r n u mb e r a n dh u r r i e d t ot h ec o u n t e r , t h el a d ywa sn o t v e r yh a p p y . S a r a hy e l l e d“ T h a n ky o u ”a ss h el e f t t oc a t c hh e r b u sh o me .