Published: 27 Mar 2023
Chapter 17
Byrnes Street and Mareeba’s main thoroughfare was crowed and noisy as Owen drove into to town, forcing him to park well away and walk for some distance. There was a marching band and troopers done out in their finest and the high school had taken the day off from their studies to view the procession, while the senior girls lead the march with a recorder band, piping out spirited tunes. It was a recruitment drive for the AIF, with many young men who had become of age since the last march bravely falling in behind, as the long line made its way towards the recruitment office at the town hall.
Firstly Owen went to the post office to collect a package Alf had ordered from a mail order catalogue, followed by a visit to the hardware store for a lawnmower part. Once his errands were done he called into Jebreen’s to visit Winnie, who was absent at that moment. He approaches Winnie’s workmate Pam, “where is Winnie?” he asks.
“She ducked out to watch the high school girls leading the march.”
“Yes I heard them playing their recorders and one of them is definitely out of tune.”
“It will be Jill Reynolds I don’t know why she bothers; you do realize she is partially deaf in one ear?”
“I also saw your brother Eric in the lot following up behind.”
“The silly bugger said he is going to enlist and with Robbie already away fighting in New Guinea mum is somewhat concerned.”
“He sounds a little like our Gavin but I think Gavin has given up on the idea now.”
“How is Jim?”
“He’s still with the army and only comes home on alternate weekends.”
“Is he alright?”
“He’s slowly improving,” Owen’s answer neglected his brother’s ongoing mental state.
“Then when you see Jim, be sure to let him know I asked after him.”
As Pam spoke Winnie returned, “I saw Sally Prentice with the recorder band, she’s looking fat.” Noticing Owen she offers to look after the shop while Pam watches the parade.
Pam accepts and quickly departs.
“How are you feeling?” Owen asks in relation to her suspected permanency.
“How do you think I feel,” Winnie snapped and quickly flashed her eyes about the shop to ensure they were alone.
“Are you positive you are -,” Owen clips his question short.
“Yes Owen I am sure.”
“I haven’t been able to find anyone who will do it for you.”
“I may have to go away for a while and I’ll have to tell mum,” Winnie sighs and turns her gaze through the open door as the sound of the march fades along the street.
“I do have something to say on the matter and I don’t want you to get cranky.”
“By saying that makes me cranky.”
“That is how mum usually answers.”
“Tell me anyway.”
Owen’s tone fades as he speaks, “I told Chip.”
“How dare you! I don’t want Hank knowing and now Chip will tell everyone.”
“No, Chip would never do that and he said he felt responsible for the action of his crew and would arrange something for you.”
“Like what?”
“He didn’t say but I trust him to do so.”
“Well it’s done now but I’m not happy with you Owen, I thought I could trust you.”
Pam arrives back, “silly little bugger,” she growls.
“Who?” Winnie asks.
“Eric, he was laughing and whooping like a madman, now he is in line at the recruitment office.”
“Why don’t you telephone your mother?” Winnie suggests.
“He’s old enough to enlist without permission and from what dad says a period in the army may bring him to his senses and possible they can knock some sense into him.”
“Being dead doesn’t knock sense into anyone,” Winnie discredits.
“What about you Owen, why haven’t you enlisted?” Pam’s tone appears to be accusing him of avoiding his duty to his king and country.
“I thought that would be obvious,” Owen discredits.
“Dad can’t run the farm by himself,” Winnie gives backing to her brother.
“You have Gavin.”
“He is still at school.”
“Jim is back why can’t he help your old man?”
“Pam what are you suggesting?”
“Nothing, I’m only cranky about Eric, sorry Owen nothing meant, I should think before I speak.”
“Anyway Jim is still with the army and more than likely will be until the war ends, it is possible he will be given office work or ground duties about the barracks.”
Pam’s brother arrives at the door, “hey sis,” he chirps and enters, his face beaming as if he just won the lottery, his scruffy long hair bounces about the top of his head in equal merriment. He spies Owen and gives acknowledgement with a nod but no more.
“You need a haircut,” Pam snaps not wishing to share anything positive with her younger brother.
“The army would have done it for nicks.”
“You silly bugger what have you done?” Pam angrily reproaches.
“I’ve done nothing.”
“I saw you in the recruitment line.”
“They wouldn’t have me, said I was on some list.”
“What list?” Pam demands.
“They wouldn’t say,” Eric shrugged his shoulders, “The bloke doing the enlisting said I was a bit slow in the head and I would more than likely shoot myself.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be at work?” Pam asks.
“Na, the boss gave us the afternoon to watch the parade – gotta’ go, I’m meeting Sam Irving and he did manage to enlist. We’re off to the pub to celebrate, as he needs to be up at Wondecla by noon tomorrow. They have given him tonight to get his affairs in order.”
“Celebrate!” Pam shrieks; “you dumb kid what’s there to celebrate about.”
After visiting Winnie, Owen went to the Dunlop bar for a beer before returning home but with the march now at completion both the Royal and Dunlop were crowded, “bugger,” he says but had only taken a step away from entering when his Uncle Ted approaches.
“I saw you coming out of Jebreen’s,” Ted says.
Owen had no reason not to be civil and could hardly be accused of association seeing he was approached, “I was visiting Winnie.”
“How is Jim?”
“He is mending,” Owen assures not wishing to advance information on his brother’s mental condition.
“Winnie appears to be putting on a few pounds,” Ted surmises.
“Do you think so – I hadn’t noticed.”
“I believe you were camping at the lakes with one of the Yankee fly-boys.”
“Yes Chip Miller, he has become a family friend and I was showing him the sights.”
“By nude swimming?” Ted reports with a cheeky grin.
They are blocking the door.
“Are you two going in or out?” Tony Pitt a farmer from Dimbulah asks as he pushes his way past.
“Sorry Tony,” Ted answers.
Ted guides Owen aside with a gentle touch to his back.
Owen freezes and felt panic building from Ted’s obvious intimation but was more than capable in holding onto decorum, “why not as I obviously thought we were alone. Anyway how do you know?”
“Walter North was looking for ferns and Cooktown Orchids to sell at the Saturday market and saw you.”
“Ted, where is this conversation leading?”
“I’m simply making conversation lad.”
“That reminds me some time back I was approached by some bloke who said he is a mate of yours.” Owen was directing further discussion away from his time at the lake back onto Ted.
“It would have been Bill Slater; he said he saw you in town.”
“Who is Bill Slater?”
“A mate, you would like Bill,”
“I found him a little presumptuous,” Owen says.
“He can be at times but quite harmless and would do anything for you.”
“I should be on my way.”
“One day Owen, I just may sit you down and explain a few things,” Ted suggests.
“Someone should. I must be going.”
“Come around home sometime.” Ted offers.
“As I said Ted, I have to go and I don’t think that is a good idea.”
While passing the airfield on his return in the late afternoon, Owen notice two Dakota aircrafts, one obvious by its identification number was Chip’s, the other quite new and appeared to be given close scrutiny by the ground crew. He thought of diverting to the field to see Chip but decided not to seem over tenacious.
On reaching the farm he found Alf waiting at the vehicle shed.
“Did the package arrive?”
“It did,” Owen offers up the package, “what is it?”
“A birthday present for your mother.”
“I almost forgot it was approaching; how old will mum be?”
“Twenty-one.”
“I don’t think so,” Owen quietly discredits.
“All ladies are twenty-one at least at heart. You ask your mother she will tell you so.”
Owen gives a wide grin.
“What is making you happy son?”
“You will have to increase my allowance, so I can buy her something nice.”
Alf avoids Owen’s suggestion, “you took your time in town?”
“I was held up by a march along Byrnes Street and I called in to see Winnie for a few minutes.”
“Did you get the part for the lawnmower?”
“I did, but it would be quicker to let the neighbour’s goats in to do the job.”
“Flaming goats, don’t mention them to your mother. Only this morning she was after them with the broom for trying to eat the sheets of the clothesline.”
“They do eat anything and are good clearing brambles.”
“When I lived out Hughenden way the town’s milk was goat’s milk.”
“Why goat’s milk dad?”
“If you knew the area around the mid west you would soon realize why. It is too hot and dry for dairy cattle also too far from the Tableland’s dairy farms to transport and goats can live almost anywhere.”
“True.”
“Oh I almost forgot, Chip called earlier,”
“What did he want?”
“He didn’t say but said he would call back this evening; and Jim is coming home for a week this time, he should be along at any moment.”
Both slowly walk towards the house to the sound of displeasure as May gives a rug from the living room harsh treatment over the verandah rail, with Jim’s old cricket bat. There is dust everywhere and she commences to cough profusely.
“I should teach you lot to wipe your feet before entering into the house,” she grumbles the words between bouts of coughing.
“I’ll do that Megan-may,” Owen offers and takes over the walloping of the rug from his mother.
“Do I hear a car?” May says.
All eyes turn to the road as an army vehicle comes to the gate, it pauses and Jim alights.
“Leave that Owen and go help your brother with his bag,” May directs while dragging the rug away from the rail.
“Jim,” Owen simply says as he approaches and takes control of his brother’s kitbag.
“Brother,” Jim answers without enthusiasm.
“How’s the army treating you?”
“Shithouse,” then Jim appeared to close down conversation, as his eyes lower to the gravel path, with only the sound of crunching as they walk. Owen notices a slight tremble in the hand on the same side as Jim’s injured shoulder and thought better of asking further. At the door May makes fuss but Jim appears to shrink away.
“I have your old room ready and like before Owen can bunk in with Gavin.”
“No need to fuss mum, I would rather a stretcher on the verandah,” Jim quietly suggests.
“Nonsense the mosquitoes would eat you alive out there, have you had anything to eat?”
“The army fed me before leaving.”
“Would you like me to fix a sandwich?”
“Mum, stop the fussing!” there was determination in Jim’s tone, enough for May to leave him in the care and company of Owen. Once May is away Jim whispers to Owen, “I’d love a beer,”
“Sit yourself at the end of the verandah and I’ll have one with you, firstly I’ll dump your kitbag in your room.”
Both brothers sat quietly in the shade of the oleander and after two beers Jim appeared a little more relaxed. Taking a deep breath he quietly speaks, “brother what is wrong with me?” he says, his words appear to come from some empty space deep down in his soul.
“How do you mean Jim?” Owen answers being somewhat confused by his brother’s confession.
“That is the problem I don’t know. I was fine for a time after being wounded and on the plane back but as the ambulance doors closed at the airfield to take me to the hospital, so did my brain.”
“What do the doctors say?”
“They say there is nothing wrong with me that time won’t mend.”
“Well we all have time now. What about the army?”
“I’m to be given a medical discharge but things move slowly at the top so it could be a month or so.”
“Won’t that help?” Owen asks.
“I don’t know, anyway what about you Owen, I hope you don’t have intention to enlist.”
“Not me but as I said previously we had difficulty trying to stop Gavin from enlisting.”
“Silly little bugger.”
“Also when I was in town this morning there was a recruitment drive and Eric West tried to enlist.”
“He was always a sandwich short of a picnic,” Jim suggests.
“They wouldn’t take him.”
“As well there are enough drongos in uniform already,” Jim conveys with a rare smile.
“Winnie is working at Jebreen’s with Pam now and Pam asked to be remembered to you.” Owen had already spoken to Jim about Pam’s interest in his returning and by repeating her wishes he wished to test if Jim’s memory had improved, as last time he didn’t remember Pam.
“Pam?” Jim quizzically asks.
“Yes Pam West, Eric’s sister, you went out with her for a while before joining the army and she works at Jebreen’s.”
“Ah that Pam I thought you meant Pam Jackson.”
“Who is Pam Jackson?”
“Don’t matter – you don’t know her.” Jim gives a cheeky grin which was obviously from a memory he didn’t wish to share.
Owen lets it slide, “anyway Pam asked me to say hello.”
“Say hello back.”
“Pam said she would like to visit you.”
“No visitors for the moment, I don’t want anyone to see me like this.”
“Your mates from the rugby club are also asking.”
“In time Owen – in time and this is not the time.”
“Do you want another beer?” Owen asks.
“I haven’t had any for a while and more may make me drunk but that could be an improvement, as it helps to fuddle the noise in my head.”
“Are you sure, I wouldn’t want to cause bother?”
“Go for it, I may as well be drunk as anything.”
As Owen was getting the beers May returns; “are you comfortable dear?” she asks caringly.
“Yes comfortable mother.”
“Can I get you anything?”
“Mother – please!”
Owen returns; “there you go but it will have to be the last until my next trip into town for supplies.
May gives a disapproving frown as she returns inside.
“I may go in with you next time. Another thing, would you move you bed back into my room, I don’t like sleeping in dark places by myself.”
“Sure.”
Jim takes a sip and a deep breath, “the beer in the army is always hot and flat and watered down and all I wished for while up the bloody mountains was a cold one.”
Owen thought better of it but seeing Jim appeared quite normal and relaxed he would ask a question of his brother but not directly, more as if planting a seed to see what would grow.
“I saw Uncle Ted in town this morning.”
“Who is Uncle Ted?” Jim asks and by his expression appeared ingenuous.
“Dad’s brother.”
“Na, I don’t know any Ted,” Jim gives a quick head shake but by his expression Owen realizes he had entered into unwelcomed territory as somewhere in Jim’s memory there was a dark patch he did not wish to revisit.
“We have a contract with the airfield now,” Owen says.
“Good.”
“Would you like to come with me when I make Friday’s delivery?”
“I don’t think so.”
May returns to the verandah, wiping her wet hands on a large dishcloth, “dinner will be in half an hour, where is Gavin?”
“The last I saw of him he was riding Ruby,” Owen recollects.
“Be a dear and let him know dinner is almost ready.”
“I’ll do it;” Jim offers and finishes the last of his beer.”
“I’ll come with you,” Owen offers.
“I’d rather do so on my own if you don’t mind Owen.” As Jim rises to depart Sookie joins him on the step, “you can come girl, you don’t ask any flaming questions,” he quietly says and stoops down for a pat. She quickly falls in beside Jim.
After dinner Jim returned to his spot on the verandah under the oleander and remained there past midnight. For a time Owen sat with his brother while waiting for Chip to call back but gave up as the nine o’clock news was broadcasted, realising Chip’s time was never his own and he would get back to him at his first convenience.
Alf comes to the verandah, “all okay Jim?” he asks from the door.
“It’s all sweet dad.”
“If I can get you anything, don’t be afraid to ask.”
Jim doesn’t answer.
“Righto’ I’ll be off to bed, I’ll see you in the morning – and Owen,”
“Yes dad,”
“The water pump is playing up again.”
“I guess we need to buy a new one.” Owen suggests.
“Where from? There’s a war on.”
“True, I’ll have a look at it first thing in the morning.”
Owen moved back into Jim’s room as requested and was almost asleep when Jim retired to his bed.
“Owen, are you awake?” Jim whispers and without the light commences to undress.
“Yes I was thinking of what I need to do tomorrow.”
“Weeding and watering I suppose.”
“That is a constant and even after good rain the ground dries so quickly with the heat.”
“What about the pump?” Jim asks.
“It’s been playing up for some time now, I’m sure I can get it working.”
Jim’s form is captured in the moonlight through the window and he appears to be fiddling with his clothing.
“Can you manage with that shoulder?”
“I’m not an invalid, besides it hardly bothers me now,”
“Would you like me to draw the curtains?” Owen offered.
“No I don’t like dark rooms. Do you still sleep naked?”
Owen thought Jim’s question strange but he answered anyway, “sometimes why?”
“You don’t in the army.”
“I guess not.”
“There are a lot of things you don’t do in the army,” Jim says with a comical huff as he enters into bed, “the sheets are nice and cool,” he comments.
“Owen gives a suggestive chuckle.”
“That either, as it is difficult to find a secluded bolt hole, besides with all the going’s on you soon lose any urge for that kinda’ caper.”
“I don’t know what you are talking about,” Owen evades.
“I think you do. What did Pam say about me?”
“That she still fancies you and suggested you sorta’ proposed to her before you were sent to New Guinea.”
“Dunno’ about proposing, although I must admit she was a good root but marriage, I don’t think I could cope with some woman nagging all the time; not for a while anyway. If I did suggest marrying her it was only to get my leg over.”
“That is what I said to Winnie,”
Jim gives a soft growl, “do you often talk about me?”
“No, it was only in passing.”
“Good, I don’t like being the topic of the day, as I get enough of that at camp.”
“Did you get much in New Guinea?”
“Do mean rooting?”
“Yea’.”
“No none, although some of the blokes went with the native women but for me I’m too accustomed to white pussy.”
“That could be considered racist.”
“Wasn’t meant to be, they are wonderful happy people,” Jim gives a low chuckle, “I must say they smell somewhat rank. What did you do with that mask your mate gave you?”
“It’s in Gavin’s room.”
“I saw the real thing up at Goroka while the natives were having some kinda’ gathering before attacking a neighbouring tribe.”
“Why were they attacking?”
Who knows, it doesn’t take much to heat their blood but the Major soon put a stop to it all.”
“You mentioned Pam Jackson,” Owen recollects.
“Did I?”
“You confused her with Pam West.”
“Has Pam Jackson been asking after me?” Jim asks.
“I don’t think I know her.”
Jim gives a low chuckle.
“Are you going to elaborate on that thought?” Owen asks.
“Not bloody likely but if she returns to town, I’m outer’ here.”
“Why?”
“That is for me to know and for you to mind your own business.”
Then the conversation dried away, Owen feels his eyes become heavy as he drifts towards sleep but soon after, or so it seemed, although on checking the time more than an hour had passed, Jim again began to shout out. “I can see his eyes – I can see his eyes,” Jim springs to upright as his breathing labours, bringing Owen to his brother’s side.
“Jim, wake up it’s only a dream,” Owen gently shakes his brother.
“What!” Jim commences to thrash about so Owen wraps his arms around Jim’s arms to keep them still lest he aggravate his injury.
“What!” Jim repeats his eyes now wide to the dullness of the room. He is violently shaking while his body is wet with sweat.
“You were having another dream.”
Jim settled as Owen remains beside him, “I’ll stay with you for a while, you’ll be safe.”
“What am I going to do,” Jim says and begins to sob and sinks into Owen’s comforting.
“It will pass, give it time,” Owen says with more hope than any authority.
“I’m sweaty,” Jim says and whips the dampness from his body with the sheet.
“It’s a warm night,” Owen excuses.
“No it’s some flaming bug I caught in the jungle.”
“Did they give you anything for it?”
“From the army quacks? They haven’t a clue, they simply said go home and learn to live with it.”
After a time Jim was once again asleep but Owen remained by his side through the remainder of the night.
May is preparing breakfast when Owen came from Jim’s room, “I heard Jim shouting again,” she says.
“Yes another bad dream but I stayed with him all night and he remained quiet thereafter.”
“Has he said anything about it to you?”
“No nothing and I don’t like to ask, he wakes up shouting that he can see his eyes.”
“It must be something to do with the fighting when he was wounded.”
“I guess so.”
“I should get Doctor West to speak to the army about Jim,” May suggests.
“Mum, I would leave it as you may upset Jim; you know how private he is about it all.”
“When you saw Winnie yesterday, did she say anything about the material she was ordering for me?”
“No nothing. Pam’s brother Eric attempted to enlist but they refused him.”
“I don’t like to say but in your father’s words, Eric is a sandwich short of a picnic.”
“That is exactly what Jim said about him, although at school he was quite a scholar,” Owen recollected.
“Chip didn’t telephone back,” May says.
“No and while passing the airfield I saw two DC-3’s, possible he has a new unit to supervise.”
“He is a nice boy,” May admits while moving away from a fat spitting pan.
“Hardly a boy mum at twenty-two and you’ve made the stove too hot again.”
“They are all boys to me. It’s this wood, red gum seems to burn hotter than most.” May moves her pan to a cooler section of the stove, “I’m about to put the eggs on, best you call Gavin and see if Jim is awake and ready for his breakfast.”
Firstly Owen goes to Gavin’s room without announcing his arrival and opening the door he perceives excessive energy beneath Gavin’s bed covers, “I caught ya’,” Owen laughs.
“Aw’ fuck off!”
“You were having a tug.”
“I wasn’t.”
“You were, you dirty little bugger,” Owen snickers at his brother’s unease, “I bet if I pulled back the sheet you will be as stiff as a board.”
“You wouldn’t dare,” Gavin growls as Owen takes hold of the sheet but refrains from carrying his threat further.
“No probably not, so leave it alone or you’ll get hairy palms. Mum said breakfast is almost ready and I believe it’s your last day at school for the year, so you better get a wriggle on.”
“It’s only breakup day.”
“Don’t you want say goodbye to your little friends?”
“I’ll skip it, besides I haven’t been at school all week.”
“You went on the bus so where have you been?”
“Mostly down at the Brewery Hole but don’t you dare tell dad.”
“You know me better that that.”
“Out you go and close the door behind,” Gavin demands while the sheet remains high under his chin.
“What about your exam results?”
“We already have them.”
“How did you go?”
“Actually better than I expected as it was almost the same paper I failed earlier in the year.”
“I told you so, have you told dad?”
“I’m gunna’ today but I didn’t get a B in math, so my little trip looks like a fizzler.”
“What did you get?”
“Fifty-nine percent.”
“That’s at least a pass and dad is forgiving, he will let you go.”
“I heard Jim shouting again last night.”
“Yes he appears to be having reoccurring dreams.”
“What happened?” Gavin asks.
“That I don’t know and don’t you go asking him, I know what you are like.”
“I wouldn’t.”
“I hope Jim’s experience has swayed you from enlisting.”
“The army yes, I think instead I’ll join the navy, anything to get away from dirty hands and digging spuds for a while.”
“Ships do sink you know.”
“Then I’ll swim home.”
“Dumb kid – come on get a wriggle on or mum will be grumbling.”
“Then get out so I can put my dacks on.”
During the morning and as Owen departed to manage the day’s chores the telephone rings, bringing him to pause by the chicken run in anticipation and as he expected May came to the door calling to him.
“What up?”
“Chip’s on the telephone for you and he said to hurry as he can’t talk for long.”
“I’m on my way.”
Owen leisurely returned while as usual not wishing to appear over enthusiastic.
“Hello Chip,” Owen greets as he accepts the hand piece from May.
She lingers in the room.
“Meagan-may – a little privacy please!”
May give a soft huff; instead she remains pretending to tidy.
“I miss you,” Chip whispers.
“I couldn’t say,” Owen answers.
“Is someone listening?”
“You could say that,” Owen gives May a glance but it is ignored.
“Anyway I have some information for you.”
“About?” Owen curiously requests.
“I won’t say over the telephone as I have the same problem this end and some of the crew are like old women when it comes to gossip.” There is laughter and the sound of a second voice comes over the line.
“Are they there with you?”
“Yes, Arty wants to use the telephone and is almost snatching it away from me. I’ll have to go, how about Saturday night for a couple of beers in town.”
“That will be okay but I won’t be able to use the truck at night as we haven’t been able to get a globe for the headlamp.”
“I should be able to help there, with the amount of trucks we have, I don’t think a globe or two from supply will be missed.”
“I hope it won’t get you get into trouble?”
“Not if I asked for it; then I’ll pick you up around seven.”
“Fine, then I’ll see you Saturday.”
Gary’s stories are about life for gay men in Australia’s past and present. Your emails to him are the only payment he receives. Email Gary to let him know you are reading: Conder 333 at Hotmail dot Com
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