"Hey." " Where you heading?" " Caravan park." " Yeah, I'm going that way." "Hop in." " Okay." " Smokey, come on, in you get." " Come on, boy." " I'm Jack." " Pearl." " How are you?" " Good." "Come on, Smokey, I can hear you." "Come on." "Smokey!" "Out you get." "Sure I didn't drag you too far out of your way?" "Neo worries." "Isn't this old man Mumbles' tinny?" "Yeah, I work for him down at Mooney Mooney." "So you're the new boy." "It's about time we had some fresh blood around here." "Well, I'm not sticking around for long." "I'm just sort of helping out with the harvest." "Don't you guys have to be up in the middle of the night to catch this tide?" "Wait..." "You better hurry up." "They'll be heading down to the pub soon." " Will I see you around, or..." " Yeah, we'll see." "You think the tide waits for you?" "I've already had to go out there once this morning." "Yeah, sorry." "I slept in." "I don't care if you're dying of the plague." "You get out of bed, all right?" "This is no job for wusses, mate." "Finish this, come and see me." "What, is he the best you can find, Brownie?" "The only one who answered the ad, mate." "He won't last." "He's a good worker." "Give him a chance." "We know he's cheap." "Neext time get a marine biologist." "At least he'll be able to tell you when to pull up your crop." "Yeah." "Good one, Barry." "If you didn't spend all your life on one side of your ass... you might realize you had two butt cheeks." "You look a mess." "Is the job too hard for you?" "Neo." "Hold still." "I don't want a Band-Aid, okay?" "How long do you think you can last up here?" "Go back to the city." "You can still see me on weekends." "Neo." "I'll be moving, anyway, when the insurance runs out." "And what?" "And what?" "I'll get you the money." "I'll get you the money." "Davey?" "Wash that truck out." "Stay there, Heath." "What's that?" "Boysenberry fruit wrap." "The work's long and hard." "Yeah, and the pay's not great." " You know that now." " Yeah." "Think you can handle it?" "Neext couple of months is going to be more of the same." "You'll be harvesting, selling, laying sticks out to catch spats." "Yeah, as well as routine maintenance, deliveries... plus there'll be bagging, shipping... repairing tools, flushing back at the shore depot." "Can I see your registration papers, gentlemen?" "Mind if we inspect your truck?" "Be my guest." "I hope you catch the bastard." "Don't encourage them pigs or we'll never get home." "Neow listen, Jack." "I'm going to need you on call at all times." "Neo worries." " There are no holidays." " Yeah, good." "Listen... next few months are going to be shit." "I need to know if you're in for the long haul, 'cause you can get out right now." "Neo, I'm in." "You sure?" "Yeah, you can count on me, Mr. Sweetwater." "You're right to go, driver." " They look close." "Bring them up." " Neo." "They're too fat." "Neo, we'll come back later, pick them up when they're dry." " Do it now." " Listen... if they get a belly full of water, they're going to blow." " I mean, don't say I didn't warn you." " Shut up and help me, will you?" "Bastards." "Two weeks to go and they blow on me." "Fuck!" "She's the only one who can stop this, you know." "She has the gift." "One look from the likes of her and they don't dare lose theirjuice." "I'm sick of hearing it, all right?" "Shut your cake hole." "Hear that?" "Neo respect for his father." "Hi." "I'm expecting a package." " Is it registered?" " Neo." "Then we won't have any record of it." "It'll go to your home address." "Yeah, I realize that, but it hasn't arrived yet... so would you mind checking out the back?" "Ern, could you come out here, please?" "Well, what is it?" "This man's after a package." " What name?" " J. Flange." "You made that up." "Neo." "It's a large prepaid envelope." "Can't remember seeing one of those." "What..." "Excuse me." "Would you mind checking, please?" "You'll just have to be patient, like everyone else." "Keep checking your box." "Shit!" "Do you know what it does to a man to watch his wife... day in, day out, farming someone else's shells?" "Everyone knows their leases are far superior." "You'll be lucky if she doesn't ask for half your share in the divorce." "We're not getting divorced." "She loves me." "She's going through a stage." "You know, as soon as I get that money, I'm out of here." "Fuck them." "What money?" " Hello?" " What?" "When are you going to take me down the depot?" "Introduce me." "It's a busy time right now." "Yeah." "Let me help." "I'm not talking about macramê basket weaving, all right?" "It's a dangerous job, oyster farming." "Piss off!" "I'm not a vegetable." "I can look after myself." "Yeah, I may never get back to what I was, but that's no one's fault." "So will you stop acting like such a martyr?" "I'm sick of hearing it." "Who's this?" "My sister, Neikki." "She's come to help, if that's all right." "Think you can use one of these, love?" "Sure." "Get her some gloves, will you, Dad?" "Jack, can you give me a hand down here, please?" "Put these on you, love." "What's wrong with her?" "She was in a car accident." "I don't mind family... as long as they pull their weight." "Just warn me next time, will you?" "Thanks, mate." "And they had this sign up, you know, saying that they had a whistling oyster." "Performing nightly." "So I thought, "I have to have a look at this."" "So down I went, and there she was." "Oh, God..." "As cocky as..." "You know, this oatmealy skin and a shock of auburn hair... and plenty of curves, you know, not big, you know, but I mean... they sat up and said bonjour in all the right places, you know what I mean?" "Hey, that's an ugly." "That goes into the wheat sack there." "She was a born businesswoman." "Charging 1 a head to see this musical mollusk... that she'd found in her father's farm." "I mean, not that it whistled as such, you know, but it kind of clicked and fizzled." "Yeah, she was very proud of that little lever all the same." "Neearly paid for the wedding." "Ever been in love yourself, Jack?" "Don't know." "It's a wretched, messy business." "It's like pissing against an electric fence." "Hey, stop that, you little bollocks!" "Here." "Hope you had a tetanus shot." "Will you two stop farting around and get on with it?" "What's his problem, anyway?" "Mother Superior over there." "Well, why did they break up?" "Because she had hair running on her upper lip and evil in her heart." "Neo, actually, Brownie told me once, the trouble with Trish is... that she's an emotional manipulator of the worst kind and a great fuck." "And that, my friend, is a truly terrifying combination." "You ever been in love yourself, Jack?" "You already asked me that." "Did I?" "God, I don't remember." "What did you say?" "Neot interested, mate." "150,000, I heard." "Is that so?" "Yeah, that would be right." "Yeah, well, if it is one of us... the silly bugger will start flashing it around soon enough, won't he?" " They always do." " How's that?" "I'll get a big outboard." "That's the first thing." "A big fucking rooter of an engine, mate." "Like a 200-horsepower Merc." "Then he'll order a pallet of beer... build a tin shed around, and drink himself into oblivion." "Hey, trust me, this ain't no place for showoffs." "They stick out like dog's balls." " How long has that been going on?" " About eight or nine months." "And she's only warming up." "Neext." "Neot interviewing her, are they?" "Sexist bastards." "Well, surely she's not a suspect." "It's the principle, Dad." "She wants to be treated like an equal, she lines up like the bloody rest of us." "Bloody A." "What about you, oyster boy?" "Got a criminal record yet?" " Neo." " Did we not ask you that in the interview?" "Ask me anything you want." "I've got nothing to hide, all right?" "You family?" "Neo." " How long you worked here for?" " A few weeks." " That all?" " Yeah." " What did you do before that?" " Removals." " Where?" "Locally, or..." " Neo, no." "Sydney." "Were you at the fish markets on the weekend?" "Yeah." "Neotice any suspicious behavior?" "Neo." "You've got nothing else to report in relation to the incident?" "Well, mate, I was head-down working all day." " So, you know, I didn't see anything." " Yeah, all right." "This is the last of them." "You'll have to close that door." "That southerly wind gets up, puts a ripple across the water, away they'll go." "They spawn." "That's how temperamental these babies are." "All too often with purification, I'll get the 34 hours... and then the necessary 36, and then bang." "They're gone, just like that." "One blows, the whole fucking lot blows." "Don't slam the door." "Wanna be an oyster farmer?" "Stay in the shower and rip up hundred-dollar bills." "It's all right for you." "I'm not ashamed of what I do." "Everybody shits and someone's gotta get rid of it." "I'm doing you blokes a valuable service." "It's not shit collecting anymore, it's waste water management." "You ungrateful bastards." "Hey, Slug, we better not ever catch you dumping." " Those are my sandwiches!" " Toasted." "Are you as stupid as a bucket, old man?" " You're fucking senile." " Hey, leave him alone, mate!" "You wanna fight me, chickenwing?" "Neo, I don't wanna fight you, but he didn't do it deliberately." "Look at him." "Leave him alone." "Hey, pretty boy, why don't you bend over for Granddad?" "Just let him go, mate." "Come on, mate." "Break it up!" "You stupid cockheads have made all the oysters blow." "Are you gonna use that?" "You take your filthy suck truck, Slug, and fuck off." "You're not welcome." "G'day, Scully." "How are you?" " You got that?" " Yeah." " Hi." " There you go, mate." "What happened?" "Old Ern." "He had a heart attack." " Anyone else?" " Yeah, is there a package for Jack Flange?" "Bar Point." "Sorry." "Half the mail fell in the boats round about." "People pissed off without checking it." "Will they hand it in, or..." "It's finders keepers around here, son." "Further, further, further, further, further." "Doing very well." "And then relax." "Slowly come forward, slowly forward." "That's good." "That's good." "Okay." "A couple more." "Let's try again." "Pull it back, far as you can." "Fuck." "I'm awake, the world's awake." "Wakey, wakey, hands off snakey." "What time is it?" "I'm getting you up, you lazy prick." "It's a new day." "We've got work to do." "Come on, up, up, up." "Get up." "Jesus!" "Like living at the bottom of a whore's handbag in here." "It was hardly five-star when I moved in." "You got five minutes." "Hurry up." "Gonna be a real scorcher again today, I can feel it." "She's got the sprinklers on them." "I see that." "They're going to die if you leave them out there much longer." "They're insulated." "That's four years' hard work sitting out there, baking in the heat." "Four years' hard slog." "You think I enjoy standing by, watching you lose your crop... because you're too bloody stubborn to admit that she's right?" " They have a good layer of mud." " They're getting stressed, son." " They're going to die." " That's not what you said yesterday." " It wasn't 40-odd degrees yesterday, was it?" " Listen." "Once we decide we start watering them, we can't go back, you know that." " Well, I think we should follow her lead." " Neo." "I mean, she has got a good nose for it." "Look, I make the decisions around here." "Neot you, not her." "You're a bloody fool." "You're a fucking fruitcake, so leave it alone." "Hi, Pearl!" "What you up to?" " I'm just gonna watch the game." " Who's winning?" "I just got here." "All right." "Hey, you got your boat fixed yet?" "Neo." "'Cause I've got a new motor." "Four-stroke." "So perhaps you might like me to give you a lift home tonight." "Neo, it's okay, thanks." "Why not?" "I promised Mom and Brian I'd cook dinner." "Why don't you forget Brian?" "Neo, okay." "All right, well, don't come sucking up to me next time you want some money... 'cause you don't do me any favors, do you?" "You never ask how I'm doing or introduce me to your friends." "'Cause I'm not good enough for you, am I?" "I'm just a shit collector." "You okay?" "You know that caravan park upriver?" "Don't you like the place that we've found you?" "Neo, it's good." "You're lonely there all by yourself, is that it?" "Neo." "Well, you could always move in with us, you know." "Neo, no, I'm fine." "Don't worry about it." "It's fine." "Suit yourself." "Thanks for the lift." "So where do you guys live, anyway?" "Why?" "Well, I just thought I could, you know, thank you properly... drop around with some beers or something." "Fair enough." "You know the Wompoo Inlet?" " Yeah." " Do you?" "Well, just past the inlet, you'll see an old beer can stuck on a pole." "That's your marker." "Go left, straight into the mangroves... up Dead Man's Creek as far as you can go." "Can't miss it." "Okay, let's go." "Watch the tide." "G'day." "Just a case of VB, thanks." " 35." " Ta." " Ta." " Thanks." "Hey, can you guys smell that?" "Rotten." "Fuck off, Flange." "And I hear you've been sniffing round Pearl." "Poo catcher." "Just stay away from her!" "Oyster boy." "G'day." "Shit." "Neice setup you got here." "Yeah, keeps the flies away." "Well, don't let them get warm, stick them in the fridge." "Hey!" "Hi." "What are you doing here?" "Well, I went down to the pub looking for a lift... but everyone was too pissed... so Mumbles said if I came and asked you nicely..." "Mumbles." "Do you want me to leave?" "Neo, I wanna ask you something." "What was that with Slug the other night?" " He just can't handle his drink, that's all." " Is that all, you sure?" "Because it's pretty fucking disgusting, if you ask me... letching after young girls like that." "I mean, I guess you get your resident pervert weirdo in every community... but don't you reckon that guy's got a real anger problem?" "I mean, no one likes him." "So what do you like about this place?" "It's quiet." "What about the oysters?" "Well, I wouldn't mind growing my own someday." "They don't sell leases." "Neot to outsiders." "You're better off robbing a bank or ripping off the fish markets." "Some mad bugger got away with it the other day." "Yeah, I heard." "What would you do with that kind of money, Jack?" "I can't imagine, Pearl." "What would you do?" "I'd have my footwear made to order." "Have you noticed no one wears any around here?" "Neot real ones." "They're all thongs or gumboots or..." "I had this one boyfriend once... who had skin this thick on the bottom of his feet." "It was disgusting." "I used to have to make him wear socks whenever he came to bed." "You probably don't want to hear that, though." " Neo, go on." " Neo, it's okay." " Where did you get those?" " Mail order." "Neo, I meant the bruises." "I ran aground up near Milson's Passage." "Hit the mud at 25." "Clean ripped the motor of the back end." " You're mad." " You can talk." "Neo one in their right mind volunteers to live up here permanent." "Neot unless they're running away from the law." "Neot me." " Bad marriage?" " Doubt it." " How old are you?" " Twenty-four." "It's a good age." " You reckon?" " Yeah." "I feel old." "Oh." "Are you okay?" "Oh." "Shit." "I'll run you home." "Good night, Jack." "So..." "So... who else lives up here?" "More farmers." "Vietnam vets." "Fishermen." "Good night, Jack." "We were 13 trays down yesterday." "Shit." "Holt was going like a mechanical harvester." "I don't know how he does it." "So when did this happen?" " What?" " You and Pearl." "She's not my girlfriend." "She'll ruin you, mate." "She's high-maintenance." "How's that?" "See those boots she's got on?" " Yeah." " Cost over 1,000." " Bullshit." " Neo, her mom told me." "Designer, apparently." "How do you reckon she pays for them?" "Hairy checkbook, mate." "You're disgusting." "Relax, it was a joke." "Go." "Swim!" "Don't wobble." "It's all your fault, son." "You're feeding him too much." " What's he training him for?" " The dog race." " When's that?" " Sunday." "Just look at him go." "I'd put my house on black a hundred-to-one." "Our Diesel is going to blitz them this year." "He'll get him going." "Yeah, go on, Heath." "Get him out further." "That's a good boy." "Who's a winner?" "Come on, Champion." "Don't look next to you." " Hey, Mumbles." " Yeah?" "Can you lend me some cash till next week?" "Yeah, okay, but don't blow it all at once." "I won't." "Thanks, mate." " Yes, man." " 60 on Diesel, please." " Thanks, mate." "All the best." " Thanks, mate." " Give him to me, mate." " Neo!" "Don't argue!" "He's my dog." "He listens to me." "I've got his stick." "Neot anymore." "You do realize you're supposed to swim?" "Shit!" "Can you hold Diesel?" "So what is it exactly that you do?" "What?" "At the caravan park." "I clean them." "You're a cleaner?" "Yeah, I was, but I quit." "Everyone ready?" "When I say." "On your mark... get set, go!" "You could have killed him!" "You should have let me go." "It's Jack, isn't it?" "Yeah." "What were you doing down there?" "Neothing!" "Well, I just dropped something." "You couldn't give me a hand, could you?" "My back's playing up." "Yeah." "Thanks." "You weren't at the dog race?" "Neo, I leave that to the boys." "Why, where did Diesel come?" "He didn't finish." "Oh, well." "It's typical." "Anyway, he's Brownie's dog, really." "I was more than happy to get rid of him." "He was always humping my leg." "Enough to give me varicose veins." "Just leave it on the bench." "Thanks." "You're bleeding." " Did Diesel do that?" " Neo, that's nothing." "I'll get you some antiseptic." "Neo, I'm okay." "It's fine." " Don't go to any trouble." " Neo." "It's no trouble." "Stand up." "Okay, let's see." "Where does it hurt?" "Drop yourjeans." "Please, I'm a married woman." "There's nothing I haven't seen before." "Put your hands down, for God's sake." "So you got a packed lunch." "Bravo!" "You should be so lucky." "God." "You boys are ridiculous." "Neow this might hurt, okay?" "So what's this I hear about me having some kind of a gift?" "That's just Mumbles." "He reckons you can stop oysters from spawning." "Really?" " How's that?" " Just by looking at them." "Neot sure that's a compliment." "Come off it." "You're a natural." "Anyone can see that." "That's because I could shuck before I could walk." "My dad was a farmer at Wallace Lake." "Turn around." "Good grief, you have been in the wars." "Get your top off." "You don't say much, do you, Jack?" "Depends." "What are you thinking?" "Why did you leave Brownie?" "They say 50/ of couples break up over two things, yeah?" "Renovations, relatives." " What renovations?" " Exactly." "Brownie promised me a bath when we got married." "Men never understand why a woman needs a bath." "They think you can just soak standing up." "Well, did you talk to him about it or what?" "What's the point?" "There's no money." "Of course, there could be if those blokes knew what they were doing, but they..." "They wouldn't let me out on the boat enough, because you know what?" "A woman's place is in the home." "What home?" "The only thing that works in that place is the plumbing... because, God forbid, if our shit leaks out and kills off the oysters." "Sorry." "I shouldn't be dragging you into our soap opera." "It's okay." "You're right." "Well, I appreciate you patching me up, Mrs. Sweet." "It was a pleasure." "I better go." "And Jack." "Thanks." "Look at them bloody mongrels." "Lining up to maul another poor bugger to death." "Well, I'll be damned." "The fucking dog whisperer." "Come on." "What happened to the cleaning job?" "I thought I told you." "I quit." "Well, you haven't got a package there for me, do you?" " Or maybe back at the post office?" " That's all there was." "Sorry." "Hey, mate." " She likes you." " Shut up." "Don't you fancy Slug as a father-in-law?" "What did you say?" "Don't tell me you don't know." " Know what?" " Brian?" "He's de facto." "Slug is the father." "You're kidding." "Brian shoots blanks." "There's no such thing as the immaculate fucking conception in this part of the world." "Still, we all got a big shock when that little baby popped out..." "looking so perfect after such an unholy..." "Yeah, thanks." "I get it." "Just think of that poor girl." "What a burden, huh?" "The bastard child of a shit collector." "Let me help." "Jacko!" "What?" "Come here, give me a hand!" " I better go." " Yeah." "See you." "What did she want?" "She's got a sore back." "Too bad." "You work for me, not her." "Neo job for the ladies." "She'll get tired of it soon enough." "Okay." "Hey." " What?" " Come here." "How was school?" "Don't know." "You got much homework?" "Neo." "Hey!" "You two." "Stop mucking around." "Hey." "Let's go, matey." "Go on, do what your mom says." "I thought you should know, I've decided to enter competitions." "What?" "By yourself?" "Yeah." "Don't allow hobby farmers." " I've checked." "I qualify." " Bullshit." "How dare you do that for someone else's business?" " I'm doing it for myself." " Traitor." "You've got to get her back, son." "How do I do that?" "Any bright ideas?" "She'd like a bath." "This old rust bucket?" "It's cheaper to buy a new one, Dad." "The new ones don't have legs." "He's right." "Trish doesn't want a Jacuzzi... she wants a good-old fashioned tub to soak in after work." "What did you say?" " He means a spa bath." " I know what a Jacuzzi is, Dad." "What I wanna know is how shit-for-brains here... knows so much about my wife's bathing preferences." "I was just guessing, that's all." "Don't take it so personal." "You found my package?" "Neot yet." "What's in it, anyway?" "A present." "Yeah?" " Who's the lucky..." " My sister." " Your sister?" " Yeah, my sister." "She's in the hospital." "So that's why you came up here." "Yeah, well..." "I meant to tell you, but..." "Well, do you have a big family?" "Neo, I don't." "Sorry, I didn't mean to pry." "It's all right." "It's all right." "Anyway... she's more like my mom." "Me and Neik grew up in refuges and foster homes." "She's really pretty." "I could see that." "You've been spying on me." "Neo!" "You've been spying on me, haven't you?" "I haven't been spying on you." "Okay, so what is it?" "It's obvious you want to say something." "Don't you believe me?" "Yeah, I do." "It's just Cherie at the front reckons that you might have robbed the fish markets... and then mailed the money back to yourself." " Yeah, right." " I know." "I know." "That's what I said." "As if anyone would be that stupid." "It's probably just gone up the wrong river." "Still, hope you insured it." "Bye." "G'day." "Is Skippy around?" " Is Skip around?" " Right over there." "Thanks, mate." "Hello?" "Hello." "Is anyone home?" "Agent Orange's effects finally proven" "Viet veterans set to sue Govt" "Bloody dust." "Haven't locked the door since '75." "I wouldn't care if the whole bloody joint burned down." "Save me a lot of trouble, I reckon." "And you consider yourself very lucky... 'cause if I ever catch you sneaking around... where you're not fucking wanted..." "I'll kick your balls so hard, they'll bounce on your adenoids." "Is that clear, son?" "Yes." "Better be." " G'day." " Hey." "How do you like my massage tub?" "I'm speechless, mate." "Yeah, I thought I'd make it like my beaded car seat cover, but with marbles." "You know, good for your back." " What's eating you?" " Neothing." "That's the type Trish goes for, is that?" "Well, why shouldn't she?" "Neo reason... but if you're serious about helping Brownie get her back..." "What?" "You could blast the mold off the side of the house, mend a few windows." "It wouldn't cost you much, I'll give you a hand." "We couldn't spare the time, not with the harvest going so bad." "Fair enough." "Leave me out of it." "How can he afford that?" "I've had enough of this." "We've gotta help Brownie check his spat..." "Forget him." "I'm in charge." "You coming?" "Hey!" "Who's out there?" "This is private property." "Let me do the talking." " Is that you, Mumbles?" " It is." "What the hell are you doing hiding in the mangroves?" "Sprung a leak in your septic tank, have you, Slug?" "'Cause the levels are pretty high around here..." "Bullshit." "How did you afford that new motor?" "I saved up for it." "Yeah." "Taking sly payments and dumping in the river, more like." "How dare you come onto my land and accuse me... you six-fingered Irish asshole?" "Where are you dumping it, Slug?" "I need to know." "I'm not." "I wouldn't do that." "It's the houseboat, isn't it?" "Start the engine." "You're an environmental Philistine!" "Start the engine." "Bite your ass!" "And get off my property, now!" "Or I'll shoot you." "I fucking will." "Don't think that you can shut me up, you dirty, bloody mongrel." "I'll strangle your scrawny Irish throat!" "You mad bastard!" "Get out of it!" "Don't worry about it." "I was only calling his bluff." "Are you insane?" "He could have killed us." "He's not that stupid." "A good dog never shits on his own doorstep." "What if he's not dumping?" "Where else would he get it?" "I mean, the bank sure as hell wouldn't loan him a bean." "Neot with his track record." "Do you reckon he's the one that ripped off the fish markets, then?" "Who, Slug?" "Neever leaves the river." "Neo." "Frozen crayfish." "That's an old fisherman's trick... and if they haven't caught him by now, he's away and laughing." "How's that?" "The police didn't even find the bloody weapon." "For all we know, an innocent member of the public came along... and ate it, your honor." "Classic." "What a desperado, eh?" " There you go." " Ma'am, thank you very much." "It'll be ready to pick up on Friday afternoon." " I'll see you then." " Okay." "Hey." " You always carry that much cash around?" " He gave me a good deal." "Any sign of my package yet?" "Neo." "How's your sister?" "She's transferring to Gosford." "It's a good hospital." "Are you going with her?" "What the hell are you doing?" "You selfish bastard." "Have you got any idea what they'll do to you if they find out?" "They'll close down the farms." "I'm pumping air into the tire." "I'm not pumping shit into the river." "Geez." "Even my own daughter thinks I'm a dumper." "What is it with this place?" "Everyone's favorite pastime around here seems to be jumping to conclusions." "I'm bloody sick of it." "I'm not a dumper." "I'm sorry." "Anyway, I'm getting out of the business." "Since when?" "Look, I can't compete with the big boys." "There's no future in that." "I'm just a little independent." "And everything's going global, so, you know, go with the times." "They've made me an offer, and I've accepted." " How much?" " Enough." "So what are you going to do now?" "Well, I don't know." "But I thought I might take care of weekenders, you know, for the city folk." "And then you don't have to be so embarrassed about me." "I'm not embarrassed by you." "Good hiding." "Yeah." "You know, your mom and I used to come out here a bit." "It's a good place to think." "Yeah, it is." "Hey, Skip." "What would you do if you suspected someone was stealing from you?" "I'd pinch something of theirs." "A fair exchange is no robbery." "Like what?" "Like something they love." "What if that didn't work?" "Then I'd tell them... to smoke my pig." "Jesus!" "You're bloody mad." "You don't have a license for that." "It's a national park." "The rangers don't bother us." "It's easy as bat shit here." "You just grip and squeeze." "Neow how about it?" "You game?" "I KNeOW YOU'VE GOT MY" "DELIVER BY 11 PM OR SMOKEY'S DEAD MEAT!" "Smokey!" "Who's Trish working for?" "She's leasing from old man Peterson." "He wanted out, but he couldn't sell it." "Everybody said it was bad ground." "But it's right next to yours." "Well, not everybody can read the river." "You know, sometimes it lies fallow for years before some farmer comes along... and knows how to bring it back to life." "It's like having a sixth sense." "And for all her faults, that's one thing that that woman has in abundance." "Will you two shut it?" "I'm sick of hearing it." "Don'tjust sit there fanning your balls, give me a hand with this pump." "Stupid dog." "What sort of plastic?" "Remote for the telly." "You know, some dogs work hard for a living... and some dogs turn good food into shit." "So you don't think it will kill him?" "Well, if he hasn't shat it out by tomorrow morning, take him to the surgery." "They'll sort it out." "Will you help me?" "There are low-risk meals, and there are high-risk meals." "Hold it." "Steady." " He's not breathing." " Well, check his ABC." " You do it." " Coward." "Well, you want to give mouth-to-mouth to a dog?" "You go ahead, be my guest." " All right then, I will." " Good." " Neo, don't." "It's crazy." "Don't." "It's not worth it." " Stand back." "What if he's got worms or something?" "I think we've lost him." "What if he's in a coma or something?" "Neo, he's gone." " Someone's coming." " Quick." "Get rid of him." "Don't say a word." " Hey." " G'day." "Have you guys seen Smokey?" "What happened, love?" "He gone walkabout?" "Yeah, he disappeared last night." "I'm just hoping he hasn't been bitten by a snake." "Well, probably." "I lost two that way." " Do you want me to help you look?" " Neo, it's okay." "Thanks, but I should probably keep going." "See you." "Good luck." "I can't see him." "He's gone." "That will be the sharks." " The sharks?" " My oath." "Big ones, too." "They come up here, you know, and breed in the warmer water." "You wouldn't catch me swimming in there." " Hey, Richard, have you seen Smokey?" " Neo, I'm sorry." " Can you let me know if you do?" " Aye." " Lorna, have you seen Smokey?" " Neo, dear." "Neo." "Smokey!" "Heard about Smokey." "That was an accident." "Poor kid." "She's had a rough time lately." "Brian said they had to cut up her credit card." "What?" "Yeah, they've had to bail her out several times." "I told you, she blows it all on shoes." "What was the dog doing at your place, anyway?" "You gonna tell her?" "I wouldn't, either." "Get her a new one." "That's what I'd do." "That way, if Dad blurts it out, you'll have done a bit of damage control." "He wouldn't tell, would he?" "Neo." "He'll forget about it eventually." "We're not complete bastards." "Yeah, right." "He's beautiful." "Yeah." "I thought he looked a little bit like Smokey." "Don't you?" "Hello!" "Thank you." "Why can't you leave her alone, Dad?" "Neot unless she apologizes." " For what?" " For what." "For hotwiring my only son to sex and death until he's worn out... like a shriveled, old foreskin." "You ought to talk." "Unzip your fly, your brains would fall out." "My God." "What would your mother say now, if she heard you?" "I didn't know she ever got a word in." "She was the love of my life." "And Trish is still my wife, so show some respect." "Respect?" "I don't think she even knows the meaning of the word... or she wouldn't be farming another man's shells." "It's a bloody disgrace, that's what it is." "Yeah, yeah, yeah." "All right, all right." "She'll get sick of it soon enough." "Do you remember at the end... when she was dying?" "Who?" ""Get out of this place," she said." ""Get off this foul river..." ""or it will wear you out, too."" "Mom?" "Yeah." " You didn't take her advice?" " Neo." "Why not?" "What, go back to the other side of the world... where the sky comes down low like the lid on the tin box... and the only fish you catch is on the Friday?" "Neo, no, no, no." "I wouldn't do that to you, son." "But come here to me, listen." "Don't think that I don't understand... how much you want your life back, you know, because I do." "I know." " Morning." " Heath's at school." "You just missed him." "Yeah, I know that." "It's just..." "I need your help." "I'm not going to stay here for 36 hours." "Dad will look after Heath, don't worry about that." "Please, Trish." "If they blow on me one more time, I'm gone, all right?" "Okay." "But we do it my way." "Thanks for bringing me here." "It's a good spot." "Yeah, it's beautiful." "There's another one, further upriver." "We should go there." "Maybe next week." "What makes you think I'm going to be here?" "You look good here." "I do?" "Plus, you're a fast learner." "I can see that." "What if I disappoint?" "Then my instincts are wrong." "You're pretty sure of yourself, aren't you?" "You mean embarrassing?" "Neo, I didn't say that." "I wish I was a man." "Why?" "'Cause then I'd know what you were thinking." "I think you already know what I'm thinking." "Hey, mate." "It's okay." "Sorry, mate." " Put him over there." " There you go." "Do you think dogs have an afterlife?" "Maybe they live on in dog dreams, you know?" "I mean, twitching his leg and stuff?" "Don't look at me." "Look at them." "I'm serious." "You don't eyeball them every second, they'll think you've lost interest." "I'm looking." " What is it?" " As in?" "How come ever since you left, my oysters are ripe too soon?" "How long have we been married?" "Fifteen years." "How can you ask me that?" "Brownie, you just have to stay calm." " Yeah, I can do that." " Bullshit." "What's the secret?" "Sometimes I sing to them." "Sweetheart, you ain't that good a singer." "It's not funny." "You love telling people what they can and what they can't do." "Don't you, Brownie?" "And look at you, there is you, with your rot... and your mortgage, and your mates blitzed to the gills." "And your old man's out there directing traffic... and you are letting them listen in through the walls, and all the time I just want to say:" ""Get out!" That's not what we wanted." "That is not what we are after." "So fuck you, I'm not coming back." "You brush your teeth?" "Come give your mom a kiss goodnight and jump in your sleeping bag." "Hey, Skip." "What?" "You ever been in love?" "Neo." "Yeah." "I reckon everyone needs a drama." "Yeah?" "Makes you feel more alive." "Some bastards leap out of planes." "Some have a real big wedding." "Some lucky bastards even get laid." "And some poor fucks... carve themselves up." "I reckon you're best to know that part of yourself." "'Cause it's going to surface sooner or later, isn't it?" "You don't want it to come as a shock." "I used to have to kill people to get the rush." "Neow I'm happy to just go fishing." "I'm going to get that bloody lease back off Johnson." "Which one?" "The back paddock." "I mean, let's face it, it's a mess." "He hasn't got a clue." "And you have." "Too right." " Dad?" " Yeah?" "What would you say if we offered Jack here... a couple of those leases up by the escarpment." "Only take him a couple of years to pay them off." "You don't mean sublease?" "Why not?" "He's a good worker, and we've gotta give him some incentive." "What's the catch?" "You have to take the old man with you." "Neo, no way." "And why not?" "I know." "It know it's a big ask, but look, me and Trish... we're not going to make it if he's out there in the barge all day... sticking his nose into everything." "I do nothing of the sort." "I'll have to reconsider if he hasn't croaked in a year." "Fair enough." "So you'll do it, then?" "It's a generous offer." "You're a good man, Jack." "I knew you wouldn't let me down." "Excuse me, Jinx." "I'm not going to die." "You can forget that straightaway." "I'm still the head of this family." "You hear me?" "So it was you all along, you bastard." "Let it go, Jack." "Dirty money will only bring you bad luck." " Yeah?" " You're a crap criminal." " There's no future in it." " How the fuck would you know?" "Do you think I came out here to the end of the world because I like the scenery?" "You didn't have to put it in the bath." "I don't understand you, Jack." "You're a decent, honest young man... with the whole world in front of you and you want to throw it away... and for what?" "A bad bloody conscience, that's what... and if you keep walking down that road, son... it will only lead you to hell." "Yeah, I know." "I know." "You could weep." "It does seem like a lot of money." "It is a lot of money, you stupid old prick." "You know what your problem is?" "You don't think things through." "How were you going to explain where you got all that cash?" "You're a bloody amateur." "I'm an amateur, am I?" "You guys are up to your eyeballs in debt... and you go and origami 150,000 into a bathtub." "What on God's earth made you do that?" "You should thank your lucky stars that I got it before the police... or you would now be bum up against the wall... courtesy of Her Majesty... cursing the day you ever set foot in a fish market." "You know what?" "You guys win." "I quit, all right?" "And you, mate... you're nothing but a washed-up old fucking loser, anyway." "Fuck you!" "Fuck!" "What do you think of these ones, Pete?" "Yeah, they're pretty good, but they're going off their edge a bit, you know?" "These ones over here aren't too bad, are they?" "Yeah, looks good." "All right, do you want to have a look?" "Come have a look at these ones." "It's the best of them all." "Well, that's fat." " Beautiful, isn't it?" " Look at it, look what's in that." "What happened to the carpet?" "Cut a dog out of it." "You don't have to come with me." "I'll be out of hospital in a couple of months." " You don't know that for sure." " What about Pearl?" "What about her?" "You can't keep running away every time you feel something." "What would you know?" "Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen." "Neow for our main award." "For overall texture, color, size, and taste... first prize is awarded to Neumber 6, Sweetwater Oysters." "Yes!" "Get up here, Brownie." "Well done!" "OYSTER EATERS MAKE BETTER LOVERS" "Yeah, Brownie!" "The Oyster Farmers' Association of Ne.S.W." "Keep going, keep going." "Brownie, what the..." "What?" "What the..." "Oh, my God!" "Oh, God." "It's a special chiropractic bath." "Dad thought it would be good for your back." "Did you do this?" "Yeah, made it myself personally." "Well, I got to tell you, Seamus, you've outdone yourself." "I hope it's worthy of you, Patricia." "Well, it will be like 100 eyeballs staring up my crack." " There's nothing new in that." " Yeah, that would be right." "Did you put this one in sort of a special place?" "Yeah, okay." "Okay." "Both of you." "Where's Jack, anyway?" "He should be in on this." " He quit." " He what?" "Well, I guess he wasn't cut out for the job." "Jesus, Dad, when were you going to tell us this?" "I've got to go back." "Then go." "You going to be all right?" "I'll see you on the weekend." "Go." "Hey!" "Hey." "We fancied you'd done a runner." "Yeah, I thought better of it." " Here." " Thank you, dear."