"Oh, the river." "Where it goes, every creature that swarms will live." "Everything will live where the river goes." "Fish Boy!" "Fish!" "Fish!" "Fish Boy!" "Fish!" "Fish Boy!" "Fish!" "Fish Boy!" "Fish Boy!" "Fish Boy!" "FISH!" "QUICK!" "Quick!" "Quick!" "Quick!" "They call him Quick 'Late-for-work' Lamb." "Jeez, Mum, there's plenty of time." "Norm Percy didn't hire you for half a day's work." "Hattie!" "Hat, you've left the bottles in." "I'll bring 'em in in a mo." "Now, where's the float?" "Mum!" "Aw, Chubby bubby." "Very tubby." "Out of my way, Fish." "Whacko!" "Jeez, Mum, what are you doing?" "Come on, mate." "Here." "Look at him." "Aahhhhh." "School, Lon Lamb." "Bye, Quickie!" "See ya, mate." "Lester, we're low on carrots and collards." "Lester!" "Hey, where's your father?" "Mum, he's outside and fixing the truck... again." "Lester, you'll be late!" "Take the motorbike." "Think, man!" "Think!" "Oh, Ohh!" "Whackol" "Think." "Alright, think." "Watch where you're going!" "Drongo!" "Oh, good morning, Rose." "Good morning, Mrs Lamb." "Who have you got today?" "Oh, someone French." "Can't even say it." "Oh, well." "You work at it." "'Bye." "She's turned out a bright young girl, hasn't she?" "A real young lady." "With her start in life, who'd have thought it?" "Get him dry first, son." "Yeah, yeah." "Teddy." "What are you doin' here?" "I gotta see where you're workin', don't I?" "He says I'll be ridin' 'em by spring." "A Pickles riding' 'em instead of betting' on 'em." "And I'll be winnin'." "My oath you will." "What about girls?" "Oh, yeah." "You know me, Mum." "I do alright." "Have an apple." "Have an apple." "Piggy." "Apples?" "Apples?" "What is it with you lot with apples?" "Quickie!" "Quickie's home!" "Quick!" "He's fithy, son." "He needs a bath." "Can't someone else do it?" "No." "Everyone else is busy." "Don't go near him, mate, He pongs." "Mum, I've been swimmin' in poop all day." "Poop!" "Poop!" "You can't be serious." "Aarghhhh!" "Bloody hell!" "Language!" "Hello." "Quickie." "Hello!" "Come on, mate." "Get up." "Hello, Quickie." "Get up." "Come on." "Hello." "Quickie." "Hello!" "Hey, mate." "Hey." "Come on, we gotta get you cleaned up." "No, no, no." "Eh, eh, this way." "This way." "Sit down." "Sit down." "Dad, I'm in the shop." "Can you please come in the shop?" "I need some help in here." "Hey!" "Oi!" "I'm getting you cleaned up." "Come here." "Sit down." "Dad, what are you doing?" "Sit there." "Wait." "Dad?" "Dad!" "Stay there." "No!" "Oi!" "Fish." "Ridin' 'em by spring, eh?" "By crikey." "I want to be a jockey too." "Yeah, Chub, whatever you reckon." "I gotta go." " Where?" "Meet someone." "Ah, yeah." "Who is she?" "Struth." "Jesus." "A penny." "Well, that's gotta hurt." "Good." "At least someones luck's holdin'." "It used to be shillings." "Are you gonna give me a hand?" "Nup." "Ah, it's alright." "I'll sort you out." "Ask for a hand, a single hand's all you get." "Oi." "Did you see that report?" "Did I?" "You must have slipped someone a Ever." "Any more A's and there will be a steward's inquiry." "Straight-A Rosie Pickles, eh?" "Mm-hm." "Yeah," "Thinking about teacher's college." "Uni, even." "Uni, eh?" "Yeah, I walked up from the river the other day and had a look, and I just thought, "Why not'?"'" "Who's gonna pay for that?" "We haven't got a pot to piss in." "Wonder why." "Rosie." "Don't... it's alright, Dad." "I'll apply for a scholarship." "That's the point of A's - it doesn't cost anything." "it's a waste of time" "What is it, three or four years?" "We can't keep you another four years." "You gotta get a job and help us out." "Oh, well, anything to help out, Mum." "Do you still want me to do the cooking and the cleaning, or you gonna get someone else in?" "Don't take it out on me, skinny legs." "It's not my fault we're on our uppers." "Nothing's decided." "We'll see what happens." "A penny?" "That bird's arse must be on fire." "Only a woman knows how that feels." "Pain's never wolth it!" "Sick..." "Beauty comes from discipline and practice!" "It will teach you to listen!" "Oh, don"t talk back to me, young girl." "Just..." "Just finish out the year, Nah, it's done." "Jeez, love, there's never been that much of a rush." "You could've stood up for me, Dad." "I've made a few blues, Rosie." "I'm not that much of a prize." "The very least I can do for your mother is..." "Jesus, what's that?" "Rosie, for goodness sake." "It's just a rash." "What kind of bloody rash?" "!" "I don't know." "Itches like a bugger." "Well... you bloody... betler get that seen to." "You can't go on like that!" "Why not?" "!" "You do!" "Do nothin' until everything goes away!" "You don't know what you're talkin' about." "Dad, you're hurtin' me!" "Christ!" "Look at that!" "Would you just leave it?" "!" "You can't help me." "Go away!" "Go away!" "Fish!" "Change the record, will ya?" "UNHALES SHARPLY)" "No!" "No!" "No!" "Don't do that!" "Leave me!" "Fuckin' house." "FISH No!" "No!" "No!" "No!" "No!" "No!" "Nooo!" "No!" "Don't do that!" "Nooooo!" "Nooo'" "Can you play it note perfect?" "I hate the piano." "You can eat when you've practised!" "Hey, don't." "Get in there and stay in there!" "Mummy!" "Mummy!" "it's OK!" "It's just me." "Where have you been, then?" "Wish you wouldn't keep goin' back to that house." "Have to." "I've got a lot of business there." "Time passed since that business, Bob." "Of course, you should have started at the bottom, Miss Pickles." "But you can talk and you can think, and I'm prepared to try you on the switchboard." "Thank you, Mrs Tisborn." "I'm very grateful." "You may be grateful, but you may not be late." "How can I help you?" "It's not hard, lovey." "You just shove the Jacks into the Jills." "Jack." "Jill." "Then everyone's happy." "Rose, you should also know that Merle's in love with a dwarf," "Liar!" "Shorter than me mum's pastry." "Bairds." "How can I help you?" "All those Jills, Rose, they all need a Jack." "He's a dwarf, Rose." "I've seen him." "Just jealous." "Good morning." "Bairds." "And you know what they say about little blokes and their fat thingies" "Yeah, well, she's hardly the eye of the needle." "You're disgusting!" "I'M disgusting?" "You've fallen into a nest of rough sheilas here, Rose." "Bairds." "Bairds." "Good morning." "Bairds." "Good morning." "Bairds." "Ah, Sam the handyman" "Better watch him, mate." "He's light-fingered, this fella." "You bludger." "It's hardly five o'clock." "Well, bugger me." "Look at you." "And look at you." "Mm-hm." "Peppermint?" "Commemorative medal?" "For roadworks?" "Ooh, yeah, he's good, your old man." "You bandit." "What's the point?" "it's worthless." "A man needs a win where he can find it, darlin'." "Can't let the bosses have everything, can I?" "Who's home tonight?" "As if I'd know." "Carn, let's go to the flicks." "Can't stand out here all night." "Some bastard will see us, Doll." "Can't risk it." "Isn't this enough?" "Righto!" "Come on, little mate, out you come." "Ahh, matey, mate, mate." "There we are." "Give it a rest, Lest." "Oh, right you are." "People are trying to get some shut-eye." "Well, tell me..." "Yes?" ".. when is a bloke supposed to do the things that he wants to do?" "Strike a light!" "What sort of question's that for a dummy?" "Quick." "Need to do poo." "Quick." "Quickie." "You know the drill, mate." "You know where it is." "Quickie." "No, mate." "I'm tired, alright?" "Mate!" "Fish!" "No!" "It's OK, Fish." "It's just us." "Pull your strides up, Lest." "Mate, it's us!" "Nooo." "Oh, come on, mate." "Fishy." "Noooo!" "Oh, mate." "Fish, Fish, settle down." "Lester, what...?" "Fish?" "!" "What are you doing with that thing?" "Go away!" "Get rid of it!" "Oh, alright." "Pun it away." "FISH:" "Go away!" "Fish, it's alright." "Get Quick." "Get Quick." "Get..." "Quick!" "WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS... '?" "Get back!" "Oh, poor fella." "No, no, no." "Eh, eh." "No, you'll be right, cobber." "Quick!" "Quick!" "Quick!" "Help get him down." "No!" "Go away!" "Oh, Fishy..." "Not me." "Not this time!" "Nooo." "Nooo." "No." "Come on, mate" "Noooooo." "Oh, Lester..." "Oi, what's happening?" "Quick." "Mum!" "What's he think he's up to?" "Nooooo!" "Girls, we need a few towels." "Come on." "Elaine, get some towels." "Come on, mate." "Quick, where are you going?" "Uh..." "Mum, he's off!" "What..,?" "Quick Lamb, you're needed!" "Lester!" "Girls, stay there!" "Stay with him." "Quick!" "NO!" "Quick!" "Quick Lamb!" "Mason Lamb, you get back here!" "Cam, Fish." "Can't lie there all day, mate." "Come on, mate." "I wanna go on the boat... with Quick." "Yeah, well, Quick's not here." "You know that." "Go... go in the stars, up in the water." "Quick's gone away for a while, Fish." "I want the water." "# Ho, what's your name?" "#" "Fish Lamb," "Fish Lamb." "J' Wh-who's ya mum?" "#" "# Who's got red 'air'?" "#" "Red." "Red." "Who's a little wriggler?" "Lon." "H- hey?" "Who's your dad?" "Lester," "Where do you live?" "Hurts, Les." "Sad, this house." "Talks." "Always the miracles you don't need, eh?" "Mmm." "Hey?" "Come here, mate." "Give us a cuddle." "That's the boy." "Fishy, Fishy, Fishy." "This Geoff bloke..." "His name's Geoffrey." "Geoffrey Birch." "What's he like, then?" "He's alright." "Knees like soup plates." "Nice smile, but." "Not real ugly." "Can he dance?" "Wouldn't you like to know." "Everything in order, girls?" "Yes, Mum." "You look nice." "Back directly." "Love" "Nice red apple!" "Two pound ten!" "Ohh." "Fishy Boy." "Lots of apples, And an onion." "There we go, love." "One scoop of Anzac Delight." "G'day, love." "What can I get for ya?" "A dozen of your good eggs, please." "Righto." "Anything else this morning?" "How 'bout the best ice-cream this side of the black stump?" "We call it Anzac Delight." "Not Kokoda Supreme?" "Pardon?" "Tobruk Surprise?" "Changi Wave?" "So, no ice-cream, then." "Mr Clay, I presume." "That's me," "And where did you serve?" "You must be Mrs Lamb." "Cloud Street." "That's right." "And you want to know where I fought." "Well, normal circumstances it wouldn't be any of my business, but you've made it everyone's business." "I went to war, Mrs Lamb." "And now I'm in business." "it's called advertising." "And where did you say you served?" "Bougainville, New Guinea." "Infantry?" "Signalman and runner, Mrs Lamb." "Twice mentioned in dispatches." "And what unit did your husband serve in?" "Thanks, love." "Cavalry. 10th Light Horse." "Gallipoli." "No, no." "I mean this last war." "The one with Hitler and Tojo." "He was nearly 50 years old, Mr Clay." "A farmer with six children." "So he dipped out, eh?" "Well, if you must know, he did two years in the Reserves." "The Western Command Band." "Thought it might have been the tentmakers platoon." "In the weeks after Quick shot through," "Oriel Lamb realised that not even she could conquer grief by force of will." "So she decided on a lesser conquest- she would wipe out the local competition." "Eggs?" "Love, love, we don't..." "buy eggs, we sell 'em." "What do you know about ice-cream?" "Thank you." "There you go." "One for you." "Thank you." "Thank you very much." "Yeah, just one?" "Thank you very much." "For you." "Who's next?" "Don't worry about it, mate." "Thank you." "Who wants another one?" "Just one here?" "Who was next?" "Just the one?" "Thank you." "Good morning." "Bairds." "I'm calling about Earl Grey." "Does he work here, sir?" "I'll have to check because the name's not familiar." "It's... it's tea, love." "Oh, Mr T. Earl Grey, then, is it, sir?" "Oh, a card, are we?" "Sir?" "Look, I'm expecting five pounds of tea from London from you people, and it's weeks overdue." "I'll gladly put you through to mail order then, sir." "Earl flaming' Grey, my bum." "I heard that." "I should report you, girlie." "Firing squad in haberdashery or death by moron on the switch, it's all the same to me, mate." "Go look for Earl." "Why don't you try childrenswear?" "You're a cheeky bugger." "Thanks a dozen." "But I gotta get back to work, there's a lot of buggerising to be done." "Really, mail order's your best bet." "Listen, why don't we meet for lunch?" "You sound like a smart girl." "You only meet the smart ones, do you?" "Wednesday Outside the GPO" "First column to the left. 12 o'clock." "Bring your teapot." "This is a switchboard, not a barnyard." "Good morning." "Bairds." "My name's Toby, by the way." "Uh... yes, sir." "Putting you through to kitchenware right away." "I'll be watching you girls." "And remember, Miss Pickles, youre not too good for hosiery." "Blimey." "Straighten your seams, girls." "It's stockings for the lot of us." "G'day, Earl." "Haven't strained yourself, have you?" "No." "I just knew you'd be a looker." "Sorry, I don't even know your name." "It's Rosemary." "Rose." "Mm-hm." "Well, I'm pleased to meet you, Rose." "Are you hungry?" "Yes." "Yes." "Yes, I am." "So, I'll guess, and you tell me how close I am." "You left school at 15." "Your dad votes Labor." "You play netball." "You'd like to be a lawyer's secretary and you sleep with your socks on." "Patchy, but boring enough to be me." "What a talker." "You need a switchboard between us, do you, before you can really fire?" "Suppose I'm just used to it." "Suddenly, I don't really know what to talk about." "Well..." "Football, common cold..." "Just ask me out, will ya?" "Righto." "That's settled, then." "So, Shenton Park." "Seven o'clock. 'Bye." "How'd you go, boys?" "Did you win?" "Yeah, we won." "Oh, well done!" "Well done." "How are you?" "Good, thanks." "That's him." "I just want an ice-cream, please." "No worries." "Run this to the kitchen, love." "Sorry." "Tuppence, thanks." "Oh" "Hello, young sir." "How many would you like?" "Wowser." "She came in to spy on me, I know it." "She stole my idea right from under me." "I'm workin' my ringhole out and she's still goin'." "Oh, don't worry." "You'll see her off." "Yeah, I don't know." "They're a bloody army over there." "Don't they ever sleep?" "Wish she'd give Rommel a going over." "Oh, stuff her" "I'm sick of talkin' about her." "Why don't you throw the buggers out?" "Chrissakes!" "You're the landlords, aren't ya?" "They're two years ahead in rent." "You're jokin'." "No," "Bloody Paterson's curse." "Oh" "What'd I ever do to her?" "Mate, you Moody got m her way" "Carn, let's not talk about it, eh?" "Nah." "Let's not." "I've been waiting all day, Nah, Doll." "I'm off." "Oh Jesus what about me?" "I got the wife whingeing day and night." "I don't need it from you!" "I'm workin' 14 hours." "I gotta sleep." "Oh, thanks for a lovely evening!" "She's got ya busted and bleeding', hasn't she?" "Sorry, Lester." "Nah, mate." "Lester, story in the bath!" "Story in the bath!" "Story in the bath, Lester." "'Please' is the magic word." "Alright, you blighter." "Yeah." "Alright." "Well, when I was a boy..." "Fish, Lester!" "Fish Boy." "When Fishy Boy was a boy." "Yeah." ".. he lived on a farm, a grape farm." "How grape thou art." "How grape thou art." "And one night, the river came up, hey?" "It rained so much, the river came right up to the house." "Came through the yard" "It was goin' through the paddocks and the vines." "It was terrifying, mate." "Yes, the water." "And r remember me father gettin' us out of bed in the dark." "And the river, it was coming through the yard." "And I'm up on me father's shoulders all of a sudden and I can hear this voice crying somewhere, and I didn't know, Fish, but it was me." "Eh?" "We're wading' through the paddocks, through the river..." "Yes." "To the big country, go in the water." "And I'm holdin' onto his hair and... he's all I got, Fish." "The big dark world wants to take me" "Yes." "And there's people there..." "in the water." "Good people in the water." "Ah, go on, Fish." "Ah, go on, Fish." "Ah, go on, Fish." "Come on, mate." "Let's get you clean, eh?" "Come on." "Story's over." "Come on." "Get the soap off" "Yeah?" "# If I didn't care... #" "Where have you been?" "Is that your dinner?" "Oh, jeez, Dad." "What are you doin'?" "Get it out of here!" "First shillings, then pennies, then just shit." "Now this," "Where'd you find him?" "Down the road," "Car, you think?" "Shifty shadow" "Luck." "Don't..." "There's no such thing as luck- it's what you do and what you don't do." "Yeah, well, you know what?" "You get older, and you learn to go with the tide." "Wheres your mother?" "Where do you think?" "Don't suppose you..,?" "No, Dad." "Leave him alone." "Let him be." "Mind your own bloody business, you hear?" "Look at you." "Yeah, and look at you." "Oop." "Bloody madhouse." "Oh!" "Sorry, missus." "Didn't see you there." "You right?" "Are you Mr Pickles?" "Sam Pickles?" "Yeah, that's me." "Listen, you don't know me and I really don't know you, and I got nothin' against you or anything, but I think you should try to control your wife." "Right." "And what's your name?" "Marlowe Clay" "Alright, well, Mrs Clay, you're absolutely right- we don't know each other and you might wanna mind your bloody business." "Well, it's my business too - it's my husband that I'm talkin' about!" "I got littluns to look after and she's got no right!" "It's a mortal sin!" "You can't do that to me, Dad." "You just can't." "I'd piss on your grave." "You're a hard bastard." "You're the fuckin' business, you are." "My oath" "Aren't you goin' out?" "It doesn't matter." "Go on." "No." "Go." "I'm alright." "Just.,.for me." "Go." "I'm alright." "Just go kick your heels up, hmm?" "It's alright." "Goodnight" "That Rosie?" "It's Hat, Mrs Pickles." "It's just me." "You in love, love?" "I'll get Rose." "Alright?" "Of course" "'Cause you seem a little distant." "Just a bit nervous, that's all." "Well, you look splendiferous." "You just told me that." "Well, perhaps if I say it often enough, you'll believe it." "Now, come on." "Noooo." "We'll never get her in there, Mum." "Up." "No, it's too late." "No." "No, it's just gone 11:00." "Oop." "I think that's what she meant." "Good grief." "Oh." "I've never seen a human do it quite like that before." "Watch and learn." "Come on." "Let's get you cleaned up." "You're not the boss of me." "I wish I'd never met youse." "The way you tramp about, stompin'..." "Thanks." "Just slipping down the street." "What do we need?" "Truce, I reckon - we've won the battle," "If he takes down that sign, then I'll let him stay on." "Those potatoes are waiting for you" "Mrs Clay?" "You." "What could you possibly want?" "What in God's name can you need from us now?" "Nothing" "I came to talk to Mr Clay, but... .. it seems you've closed up." "Yeah, that'll deprive youse of a laugh." "Anyway, he shot through." "Where?" "It's a big state - how would I know?" "Might have given that other one a goodbye kiss, and after that, anywhere he likes, I'd say." "No flies on him, eh?" "Well, how long's he gone for?" "Oh, he's off for good." "Told me I should marry Father O'Leary if I needed a bit of..." "But you... you have children." "Just leave us alone... please." "Alright." "Come and work with us it's only fair." "There's room at Cloudstreet." "You can bring your children." "To... to that house..." "What are you saying?" "I'm offering you a job, a home." "Where you harbour that drunken slut?" "!" "Wh..." "Under that roof?" "!" "Do you have any idea what sort of nonsense you're spouting?" "That house, you people, you can all go to hell!" "I'm sorry." "Go to hell." "Come on." "This one too." "Son, come on." "Take it to your father's truck." "Oriel Lamb hadn't said the word 'sorry' since 1911," "But she had made the offer and it had been refused and the grey shame settled on her in the hard summer light," "This was a sin, and it was hen" "This was what the heart did to you." "This was what happened when you lost a son, then another son." "And she dreamt of the city burning." "And in her dream, people ran from their homes to the water." "but stopped afraid, and let the tire consume them on the grassy slope above the river" "Good morning." "Day at the beach?" "Something like that." "I used to wish you wouldn't grow up to hate me, Rose." "Can't always have what you want." "Do we have any more tomatoes?" "Can you just grab me some?" "You know, that can be irritating, Rose." "Then come for a swim." "I've nearly finished it." "They leave him there wounded, he tights on manfully with a machine gun to hold back the fascists." "That's it." "And he doesn't get the girl." "Thanks for that." "Come on." "You've seen the film." "There's no surprises there, weedy little Gary Cooper." "I happen to like Gary Cooper." "So what about yours - going to be as good?" "I'll let you know when it's finished." "Come on, then." "Swim time." "I'm baking out here." "Whoo-hoo!" "After you." "Crikey" "Oh, I get by." "Mm-hm." "Oh..." "I'm j..." "I'm just... going out there." "it's James Joyce, Sylvia Beach, Rue de I'Odeon, Paris." "Paree." "Paree?" "Mmm." "Maybe one day." "You'll get there." "They'll publish you." "I don't know." "So can I read it?" "Oh, Rose." "Oh, come on." "it's too early." "Is that it over there?" "Come on, give us a look." "What are you scared of?" "Nothing." "It just... needs to settle." "What is it, a pudding?" "You wouldn't understand." "Thought you'd like a reader." "What I'd like is a drink." "You?" "Yeah." "Anyway, I've sent it out." "A chapter." "Miles Anderson." "Mmm." "Good old Milo, eh?" "What does he do when he's breathing?" "He edits 'Riverside'." "For uni?" "Runs the English department." "Rhodes scholar." "That means he's a graduate of Oxford." "Now, he's a reader." "What are we drinking?" "I don't mind." "I wonder what Miles drinks." "Hungry?" "Not really." "Two glasses of sparkling burgundy coming right... up." "Ah." "Whacko," "You awake, love?" "I feel old." "I miss him too." "So long, Orry." "Not a word." "Cruel, Wasn't it?" "In human." "Still, they're young, I suppose." "They don't mean to be cruel." "I'm talking about you, Orry." "Eh?" "Feel old?" "Worse, love." "I'm a ghost." "Ahh." "To both of them now" "Just a ghost" "Well, you know Fish..." "He's my son." "I'm his mother and he doesn't know it," "And it's too difficult to bear sometimes," "it's just too much." "But I will,.," ".. I will bear it." "And I'll wait, you know..." "Wa... want to come inside?" "Just... just for tonight?" "I could come in here." "Can't, love." "I can't." "on, well." "Night, love." "Night crushes bright milk out of arclights." "Squeezes the sullen blocks until they drip red." "Yellow green, into streets resounding with feet." "All the asphalt oozes light." "Light spurts from lettering on roofs." "Mills dizzily among wheels." "Strains rolling tons of sky." "All the asphalt oozes light." "Light spurts from lettering on roofs." "Mills dizzily among wheels." "Stains rolling tons of sky." "I want the water!" "I want the water." "I want Quick Boy." "I want Quickie." "I want Quick Boy." "I want Quickie." "I want the water." "I want the water!" "I want Quick Boy." "I want the water." "Oi!" "I want the water." "Hey, Fishy, have a look at this, son." "Got you a boat." "Hey?" "It's a special boat." "I want the water." "Hey, you can row around the yard in it." "Hey?" "Can I... can I do the rowers?" "Oh, it's a special boat." "Special, yes." "Oh, yeah." "It's only for good boys, though" "'Please' is a magic word." "Lester, please?" "Here you go." "Here's the rowers." "Please?" "That's a fella" "Hey." "In you pop." "I'm in the water." "Oh, yeah." "I'm in the water, You are, mate." "Hey, careful you don't drop them rowers in the water." "There you go." "Come on, off you go." "Oh, hey!" "Oh!" "I'm in the water." "It almost went in the water." "Oh, you got him, mate." "You got him." "Away you go." "Off you go." "Round the backyard, eh?" "Are you a good rower?" "Yes." "Have you done this before?" "Yes, with Quick Boy." "Little bugger." "# Do ye ken John Peel" "# With his bollocks on the wheel" "# With his cock bashed in" "# With his eye in a sling" "# When he's lying on the grass" "# With his candle up his arse" "# And he can't get it out till morning" "# Morning" "# Do ye ken John Peel" "# With his bollocks on the wheel" "# With his cock bashed in" "# With his eye in a sling" "# Morning. #" "Come on, Quick." "Here." "Fish?" "Am I alright?" "You loves me?" "Yeah, mate, you know I do." "Here." "I can't move my..." "Oh." "# Do ye ken John Peel" "# With his bollocks on the wheel" "# With his cock bashed in" "# With his eye in a sling" "# When he's lying on the grass" "# With a candle up his arse" "# And he can't get it out till morning... #" "Fish?" "# Morning. #" "Where you going, mate?" "Took my bloody dog" "# With his cock bashed in" "# With his eye in a sling. #" "Should have told us what part of the station you were going to cull first this time, Quick." "We might've found you sooner." "I was starting to think you'd just taken the money and buggered off." "Would've killed you if you had." "It was driving me crackers." "Still not alone now but, am I?" "The old man's gone to get the quack." "He'll be hours." "How long have I been out for?" "Been out there for a day or two by the look of you." "Lucky the harvester didn't find you before we did." "No sign of your dog." "Maybe a snake got him." "You gone cold on me, haven't you?" "Me head hurts." "You're scared of him." "There's something wrong with you, Quick." "Something in you is dead." "You got a drink of water?" "Old dead-eye dick, eh?" "Oh, you're blushing." "You just went red in the white bits." "Oh, you got the grip on you like a crop duster pilot." "Oh, that's a huge whanger." "Head like that'd be eligible to vote." "Oh. steady on" "He's going to do his nana!" "Where will you go?" "You'll have to leave the district, the country!" "He'll kill ya!" "I don't know." "I just got to go." "Tell him I said I'm sorry." "Sony be buggered." "What about me?" "I can't." "I don't want to bloody stay here!" "You said you liked me!" "When I tell him what we've been doing, he'll come after you!" "I'll tell him you forced me!" "Yeah, thanks, mate" "There, you bitch." "Earl Blunt?" "As if any bugger cares." "Not the government." "Not God." "You need help?" "What, to change a tyre?" "Do I look like a cripple to you?" "I mean work." "Have you got any?" "Oriel's boy." "Yeah," "Take that bastard off the rim for a start." "Well, knock me down and start me up." "If it isn't me little nephew back from the big smoke." "Pickles?" "!" "Sam Pickles?" "Where is he?" "Oi." "Where is he?" "!" "Oh!" "Who?" "Your son." "Oh, mate, I don't know." "Oh!" "Fuck!" "My daughter's up the duff and your whelp's getting married." "Are you with me?" "Which one?" "Tad." "Todd." "Terry." "Whichever his name is." "Go and get him." "He's not here." "Listen, don't play funny buggers with me." "Get him!" "Dad!" "I'm not making requests." "Dad." "You get my drift?" "Yeah, I can hear you, yes." "Good evening, gentlemen." "Eh?" "No, no, you take it easy there, sport." "Oh, he's a mad bastard, this one." "Mate, I'm not kidding." "I only asked to use the car." "Yeah." "You speak to him, alright, your boy." "No, he,.." "Friend of yours?" "No." "But you are." "Have a month's rent on me." "Oh, another one?" "Hey, Red, homework." "I borrow that off you?" "Yeah." "What are you cutting?" "By the time I'm done with him, Ted will be sitting down to piss." "Right, you are." "Dad?" "Everything alright?" "Oh, yeah." "No, everything's tiptop." "Have you seen Ted?" "No." "Hello, Mr Lamb." "Geez, you're a sight." "Sweeney Todd, eh?" "Hello, Red." "on!" "oh!" "Oh!" "Ah!" "That's Mr Pickles." "No fingers." "Got trouble?" "Ted." "He shot through." "Not a word." "Right." "What about the girl?" "Gone with him." "Silly little bitch." "That's a square word." "Just connecting you, sir." "Putting you through, sir." "Right away." "Just one moment." "Yes, sure." "One moment." "Good evening." "Bairds." "I mean, good afternoon." "Bairds." "Rose, it's me." "Oh, hi." "Are you alright?" "it's been days." "Yeah." "It's just things at home." "My brother shot through." "He got some girl in the club." "Oh, well, that's gruesome, not to mention careless." "Yeah, well, um..." "Sorry, can you hold?" "Bairds." "Can I help you?" "Hey, ducks, do you want me to Shanghai him?" "I'm back." "Listen..." "Come on." "You need cheering up." "No, I don't, not tonight." "Tomorrow then, the Latin, 7 o'clock?" "I'll pick you up." "Just... just give me an address." "I'll meet you there." "Yes, sir, putting you through right away." "Good afternoon." "Bairds." "Bairds, how can I help you?" "Yes." "Just putting you through." "One moment." "Everyone gets to go somewhere except bloody Dolly, eh?" "!" "Fucking lovely." "My Davy's life wasn't as long as his story," "Because that won't be ended as long as there are some of us here to remember it and what it means except for being..," "But he doesn't seem to care." "You've got to make him care," "Davy's got to need his sight again." "There, be gentle with him, I don't want him to be hurt." "No." "But, Nora, I don't want him to be blind," "But, Davy, darting, you should wan!" "to go back to school again." "Gosh, Mum, you're a better teacher." "God, that's a fair day's work." "My luck's running uphill." "Running out your date by the look of it." "Doll, I'm in the poo." "Oh, geez, you lost a tooth." "Look at it." "Yellow as Tojo." "How much do we owe?" "We're in more trouble than the early settlers." "Could you eat a chop?" "Haven't you got some mates in the union?" "They are the union." "Jesus." "It's only me." "Look, a couple of old caulies." "They'd be good for a soup." "Bookies?" "Worse." "The union." "Those blinking' bullies." "Beat it out of you." "Um,.. alright, well, you'll need a bit of tin to crawl under." "No, I'll just..." "I'll get a train somewhere." "No, no." "Give me 10 minutes." "Thank you." "I'll call the Mint, tell them you're crook." "What have I got?" "Malaria." "Oh, there's one I haven't thought of, actually." "Now, will this blow over by itself or do you have to blow it over?" "I reckon I got to do it myself." "Right." "How much is it?" "200 quid." "Bookies were screaming." "A couple of blokes in the union paid it for me." "When was this?" "Summer." "I didn't know you had a shack." "Oh, yeah." "Bloke I know." "You use it much?" "Mate, I haven't had a holiday since the abdication of Edward VII." "When was that?" "Oh, it's just a figure of speech." "Yeah, but what year?" "Oh, hang on, it's a bloody revolver." "Yeah, Webley." "First war." "What am I supposed to do with it?" "Well, you got enough 'fingers to pull the trigger, haven't you?" "Well. yeah But a gun?" "What, are you going?" "Yep." "I've got jobs." "it's a two-hour drive." "Right." "So..." "Friday, they reckon." "Yeah." "Righto, well, I'll be back Friday then." "Yeah, but the money." "I'm rooted." "No, I'll get it." "I'll get it." "How?" "Jesus, Lester, why?" "I got kids there, Sam." "You know, they come after you, come to my home where my family is." "You reckon I'm going to let that happen?" "Just keep your head down, alright?" "Don't do anything stupid." "Me?" "Oh, shit!" "Don't move." "(LESTER HUMS" "Things bad at home?" "The old man, I think he's done a flit too." "He's left you?" "He's left home?" "Not like that, I don't think." "It's the bookies, I suppose." "Wow. it's all go at the Pickles palace." "You're a colourful lot, aren't you?" "Any word from the jockey brother?" "A card," "He's in Adelaide riding." "Married." "I'm an auntie." "Well, you're my first auntie." "I need to speak to you about something." "Aha." "I don't think here's a good place." "I thought you liked it here." "I do like it here." "Well, so let's talk here." "You fancy a trip around the dancefloor?" "What are you doing stealing other people's work?" "Come again?" "I thought I was imagining things but John Dos Passos..." "I'm sitting here thinking I'll tell you it was an exercise, a parody even." "An homage." "You learn by imitation, after all." "I'd be lying on top of everything else." "Yes, I sent it out, God help me, and it wasn't an exercise." "It was an act of puerile desperation." "Rose, I'd had so many rejections - editors who hadn't even read the stuff that I'd written." "And I thought to myself," ""Those knuckleheads wouldn't know good prose if it fell in their lap. "" "So I sent them Dos Passos." "It was just a stupid stunt." "That's all." "I mean, of course, if it had've been accepted, I would've owned up and let them have it, the bloody charlatans." "But, you know," "I was never really trying to get it published as my own work." "Can't believe they didn't see it." "Straight over their heads." "You're the only one who sniffed a rat." "You're scary, Rose Pickles." "Oh, Rose, how you stayed those thundery nights when the house refused to sleep." "It's gone for you now." "But for all of us, sooner or later, all of it will always be..." ".. and some of you will forever be watching me on the landing." "But, for me, the water backs into itself, comes around, joins up in the great, wide vibrating space where everything that was and will be still is." "Again." "Again?" "Yeah?" "Oh, yeah?" "Oh." "Again." "Like a rat with a hunk of cheese" "Mrs Pickles." "Where is he?" "He's up the coast a bit." "He's safe for now." "You just sit tight, I reckon." "You got no way of getting the money." "I could stand on a corner." "That'd bring in enough for a pack of smokes." "I'm gasping." "Fancy a drink?" "No, thank you." "I don't partake." "I was thinking of a cup of tea." "Ah, Um.., Yeah, right." "Why are you helping us om?" "You know it'll be money down the dunny." "Yeah, well, what else am I supposed to do, eh?" "What if this turns into a real blue?" "They'll come back here." "They'll take goods to the value of." "I'm just buying a bit of safety, that's all." "Is that all you're buying?" "Soft hands" "Yeah, well, baker's hands." "Baker's hands, eh?" "Yeah." "Mrs Pickles..." "Something else you don't partake of?" "Sit down before you fall over." "Um.,." "Mrs Pickles..." "Please." "Mmm." "Jobs." "Was that rape, do you think?" "No" "Just being neighbourly." "Call it a deposit." "You've been waiting years for that" "You churchy bugger, you'll be alright." "You alright?" "You won't hold it against me, will ya?" "Now, Lester, some safety you can't buy." "LESTER!" "Sam?" "Sam Pickles?" "Sam, you there?" "Friend or foe?" "Tenant." "shit." "Oh. you had me going there. mate" "You're lucky I didn't take your big toe off." "Just put it down, mate." "Put it down, will you?" "133 heads in a row," "What are the odds of that?" "Don't know." "I..." "I got the money, God help me." "Let's..." "Let's get you packed, eh?" "Does your missus know?" "No." "No, I haven't told her yet." "But she's as sharp as a preacher's crease, mate." "She'll know by now." "I'm doomed." "I got a plan." "You can get it all back." "What?" "Oh',.134'" "I'll be jiggered." "it's the shifty shadow." "Not that again." "No, no." "My stump is lit up like a Christmas tree, mate." "I..." "I..." "I can feel it." "I'm telling you." "134 heads in a row." "Come on!" "Mate, I have broken my wife's trust." "I've gone against everything I believe in, everything, Sam." "I appreciate that." "Oh, mate, mate." "Mate, you.,.you haven't got a clue what I'm talking about." "I know when I'm going to win, but." "Well, why don't you win more often?" "I don't know." "I'm a dill for excitement." "Tell you this, I haven't given you the money yet." "I got the gun." "Oh!" "Mate, someone who can't drive, eh, is not..." "Alright, alright." ""gonna be able to use that." "Call it." "Heads." "Heads, is it?" "Suppose." "Oh Oh" "See?" "Come on, Les." "You can see how lucky you are tonight." "Yeah," "Do that again." "Again?" "Yeah." "Heads again?" "Heads." "Sport" "I'm losing count here." "Do it again." "Again?" "Again." "it'll be heads." "Heads." "Go on, do it again." "Oh, Whats that?" "It's a head." "Is it?" "How'd that happen?" "Do it again." "Really?" "Want it again?" "Yep." "Alright." "Ouch!" "Oh." "Do it one more time." "One more time." "In there, mate." "Come on, son." "Get them up." "Get them up." "Come on, son." "Let's go." "Come in, spinner." "Get them up." "Get them up." "Come on." "Get them up." "I've done it again!" "Down they drop!" "Look at us all - like the one hungry organism seeking the light." "From this side of the mirror:" "beyond the water, you see it over and oven this dance." "It never ceases." "And you can't help but feel for them, love them, worry for those who travel down the river of time and space without you."