597 words
Immigrants Way
by Alan F. Rankin
“Roddy – Lookout!” Just after Gavin the tree feller shouted, branches of the Spotted Gumtree smack the forest floor. A leafy outer branch whacks Roddy on the head. Gavin runs up to him shouting, “I’m sorry, the Blooming tree swung round the wrong way – are you alright Mate?” A gash on his scalp starts to bleed profusely – …………………………………………………………………………………………………… In 1955 these two UK immigrants met three weeks earlier, they were now involved in Wood cutting. They were to thin out this plantation of Spotted Gumtrees, cut down only the marked trees, then haul them to the road for transportation. The timber trucks would come. Oddly enough both of these men were ‘Printers’ by trade from the UK.
Gavin’s been in Australia for two years and Roddy only two months. Gavin came to fill a Printer-Linotype Operator position in Perth. He says, “It was a non-starter, the job had already been taken.” Roddy was to go to Sydney but only got an Immigrants passage in the UK to Perth. He can’t travel right now, because he has no money.
At the plantation, Roddy is told, “Keep your fingers interlocked and clamped on your head,” until I check on something. Roddy snarls, “You did this on purpose to get all the money!” – Gavin retorted, “I did not! are you Ruddy mad?” After what felt like ages, Gavin returns -”No First Aid Kits. Try and keep your hands where they are. I’ve borrowed a ‘Pick-up’ from the bloke next door, I’ve got the directions where to go.”
In front of this company’s Big shed, the old khaki Land Rover sledges to a stop. The First Aider is called, “What have we got here?” She soaks Roddy’s congealed curly hair to free his fingers.’ Back at the plantation; sporting a ’Turban’- the Boss who has been looking for them approaches Roddy and says, “Remember, No Finish! No pay! – Stop playing around!”
Roddy and Gavin are glad to see the last Timber truck loaded, the Boss pays them out. Roddy says, “Let’s go for a ‘Swannie’ (Swan Lager) – Too right!” During a conversation in the bar with Eddie a Truck driver, when it was clear he’s heading to Sydney, they asked if there’s any possibility of a Lift? “We’ve got some money.” Eddie, says, “No Worries, we’ll talk about it, I leave at 4-00 in the morning.”
Wheels turning in the dark. Eddie starts to tell them about the trip, Perth to Sydney. “The driving time is about 42 hours, the distance is 4 304 km. We will make six stops, the main stops are, Kalgoorlie, Frazer Range, Port Augusta, Adelaide, Wagga Wagga, and Kiana. See, I even know them all off by heart – you’ll see beautiful parts of Australia, the Sunsets are outstanding.”
It was great to see Sydney, a clean bustling City. Gavin asked to be dropped off in the outskirts to see about a Litho Printing job. “Goodbye, Goodbye, we’ll phone.” Roddy isn’t worried about jobs or money now. He looks at the creased slip of paper from his pocket again, the Address and the green Bus number to catch.
Roddy knocks on the varnished door, a man’s voice answers, “Yep! What do you want? - I’d like to speak to Brenda, tell her it’s Roddy.” Before her Father can move out of the way properly, an attractive young lady pushes past, her eyes open wide, “Roddy you came!” throwing her arms around him pressing her red lips to his.
‘So, the Compositor Job will just have to wait, for a bit!’
THE END