Jack & Harry (46 page)

Claude and Eric had served in Borneo with the light infantry and they and Jack always met up after the parade for a ‘few beers' with their mates at the RSL club; that usually meant they stayed till stumps, got a taxi home and suffered hangovers for two days!

This Anzac day was dampened somewhat for Jack and Claude because of not knowing where their sons were and although they enjoyed the after service celebrations there was a subtle cloud over them. They had each determined not to mention the boys but as the night drew to a close and they were sitting quietly together reminiscing, the subject came up. ‘Harry marched last year with the school … sort of missed him not being there today.'

‘Jack too. Wonder if they kept up the tradition and marched somewhere in Kalgoorlie or Coolgardie or wherever they are, Claude.'

‘Don't expect so,' Claude replied sadly. ‘I think they only did it because the school involved them.' He took a swallow from his glass. ‘One for the road, Jack?'

‘Yeah, why not, mate.' Jack passed him his empty glass.

Although the boys wanted to head back out to the mine Iris insisted that they stay in town another night. Ron Carter agreed and said he'd take a run to check things out and make sure their diggings were OK. ‘Another night'll do you good, not having to worry about things. Give you time to think through what you have to do.'

Father Logan was more than happy to have them stay another night. ‘Everyone in town will be on the turps somewhere so we'll throw some snags on the barbecue at my place. It won't be flash but it'll be tucker. Can you make it, Ron?'

‘No, I'll have to do the rounds tonight, mate, as there'll be a lot of mugs about but I might call in from time to time. Won't have a drink though, on duty.'

The boys turned in early leaving the priest, Iris and Paddy outside, relaxing in the cool night after a hectic day. Iris noticed Paddy was restless and smiled to herself. ‘Paddy, why don't you take the Landy and have a look around town. Many interesting things to see on an Anzac night.' She winked at Shaun.

‘Ahh, I'm content to be here. Don't know what it'd be I'd be lookin' for anyway.' He fidgeted on his seat.

‘Paddy! Stop fooling around, man. I know what goes on and you'd be missing an Australian tradition if you didn't join in the ahh … celebrations! I'm about ready to turn in anyhow, as I'll probably have a busy day tomorrow dispensing aspirin in bucket loads. You can give me a lift home on your way, Paddy, if you like.'

‘It's a marvellous woman that ye are, Iris. I get the feelin' it'd be hard to be pullin' the wool over yer eyes on anythin' at all, to be sure. You're not Irish somewhere way back are ye?'

‘A dyed in the wool Aussie, Paddy, but I do know what makes a man tick. Just don't lose all your money.'

‘Paddy O'Brien! Lose? There's a lot you're still to be knowin' about Paddy O'Brien, Iris, m'dear.'

‘I'll be looking forward to that, Mr O'Brien.' She stood up. ‘Thanks, Shaun, for the night. See you tomorrow no doubt and I hope those two dear boys can decide what's best for them.' She put her arm in Paddy's as they walked to the parked Land Rover.

The priest smiled in the darkness as he watched Paddy, the gentleman; graciously open the passenger door for her.
You best be reading up on the
nuptial mass, Shaun,
the priest laughed to himself,
never done a marriage
in Coober Pedy.

‘You awake, Harry?'

‘Yep.'

‘What're you thinkin' about?'

‘Same as you I guess. The newspaper clippin', Mum and Dad … what we should do.'

‘What do
you
think we should do, Harry?'

‘We got a lot here now, good friends and makin' a go of things. You know, the mine and all.'

‘We couldn't just go and leave it all then.' Jack lay on his back with his arms behind his head staring at the ceiling. ‘… Could we?'

‘Not really, Jack.' Harry was silent for a time. ‘But it'd be good to see everyone again.'

‘Yeah, all except Billy Munse. I'd like to throttle that mongrel, Harry. Wonder what he's doin' now?'

‘Polishin' his bike probably. Or hidin' from his father.' Harry giggled in the darkness.

Jack laid quietly thinking, his eyes wide open in the pitch darkness of the windowless bedroom. So many confusing and conflicting thoughts ran through his mind that he was unable to isolate or group them rationally enough to make a decision.

‘Paddy could look after things for us, Harry, and Reynold would stay on.'

‘I'm scared, Jack. If we go home my parents are gonna be real mad at me. Probably lock me away or send me to boardin' school or somethin' just to get even.'

‘I think they'd be too glad to see you to do anythin' bad to ya.'

‘Maybe.' Harry sounded unconvinced.

‘So what do ya reckon we do then?'

‘I'll leave it up to you, Jack, whatever
you
say.'

‘That's not bloody fair, Harry, why me?'

‘You're the oldest, Jack, that's why.'

‘We always made the decisions together before, Harry, so why won't you make this one with me?'

‘Because …' Jack heard the catch in his voice. ‘Because I love it here, Jack, but I miss home too and I don't want to make a decision that could mean I'd lose either here or home depending on the decision. I don't think I can make such an important choice as that.' His last words were muffled and Jack realised Harry had buried his face in the pillow.

There was silence from Harry now so Jack just continued to stare into the darkness, his mind in turmoil. Lying in the stillness, his thoughts drifted back over the events of the last twenty-four hours or so. He saw the newspaper clipping vividly and recalled the contents, word for word. He felt the compassion of his friends as they consoled him and Iris's warm arms around his shoulders and the scent she wore as he leaned on her breast. He could see the anguish in Paddy's eyes as he apologised over and over for leaving the envelope in the Gladstone bag for so long. He experienced again the sunrise that morning as they stood in the piccaninny dawn, that pre-sunrise light, grouped together, men and boys, before the cenotaph. He pictured the soldiers clambering up the beaches at Anzac Cove being blasted to ribbons as the shire president had described and he heard the song the old miner sang.

The words came flooding back and he hummed along, silently mouthing them. ‘And tears run down my brother's face as he thinks of loves in another place.' He stopped humming and sat bolt upright in the bed. ‘You asleep yet, Harry?'

‘No, Jack, just thinkin' about stuff.'

‘We're goin' home, Harry, the song decided it for me.'

‘Song! What song?'

‘The one that was sung at the service this morning. You know, about thinking of loves in another place.'

‘I didn't listen all that closely, Jack.'

‘Well I did and we're goin' home, or at least I am. You can stay if you like. My ‘Love' is me family and the ‘other place' is back home in Perth so that's it.'

‘You mean you don't love it here, Jack, rather be back in Perth?'

‘No, I didn't say that. I think it's great here and I don't regret the decision we made to come here but until I put the guilt of runnin' away to rest and make up to my parents for the heartache I've caused 'em, this place can never be home. It's sort of like we're still on a journey, not permanent … do you know what I mean? I have to know where ‘home'
really
is and until I go back I won't know if it's here, or back in Perth.'

‘I think I understand what you mean, Jack, and I'm with you, so when do we leave then?'

‘As soon as we can. It's our birthdays in a few days' time, Harry, so let's try to make it back by then.'

The decision made, they were anxious to get things organised so were up, dressed and having a cuppa when Shaun woke. He listened attentively while they told him of their decision.

‘I agree with your reasoning, Jack, very grown up. What can I do then to help you? You won't have to worry about the mine as Reynold is trust-worthy and a good friend to you both and Paddy's on hand to manage things while you're away.' He paused and looked them both squarely in the eyes. ‘I have to ask this … do you plan to come back?'

‘You bet!' Harry answered immediately but Jack considered the question before he answered.

‘I'm not sure, Father,' he said. ‘I want to, of course, and would always return but whether or not it would be permanently or just to wind things up I won't know until I've been home.'

‘Fair enough and you're being totally honest so I appreciate that. I also appreciate your sentiment, Harry. Now let's get things in motion.' He looked at the alarm clock on the sideboard, shrugged and reached for the telephone.

‘Did I wake you, Ron? … No, good. The boys have made a decision to get home to see their parents and want to get going as soon as they can. I agree with their decision; they've thought it through well, and I was wondering if you can help out with some advice or whatever?' The priest listened for a time ‘Not sure, I guess they'll need to get to Pt Augusta somehow and train it to Kalgoorlie, then on to Perth.' More listening. ‘That could work. OK … Yes, sounds good. We'll wait for you then.' He put the receiver back on the cradle.

The boys looked at him expectantly and he explained. ‘Ron says there's a surveyor bloke he knows in town that could be driving to Pt Augusta in the morning. He'll check if he can give you a lift and will be around here in half an hour to see what else he can do.'

Jack and Harry paced around as, now that the decision was made, they were anxious to get moving and knew there was a lot to organise in a short time.

The sergeant turned up with Paddy, and Iris arrived as they were walking to the door, having been telephoned by Ron Carter. ‘Looks like a council of war then,' Iris joked as she joined them at the kitchen table.

Shaun Logan elected himself chairman of the organisation for their trip and went through the plans so far, sparing the boys from having to explain their decision. ‘How'd you go with the surveyor, Ron?'

‘Done. He's happy to have the company on the drive. Leaving at sun up in the morning.'

‘Well then, not much more to be done. Do you want to call your parents and let them know to expect you? The priest pointed to the telephone.

‘No!' Jack stated emphatically. ‘Harry and I wouldn't know what to say and we want to surprise them anyhow. It's my birthday at the end of the month and Harry's two days later, we'd like to try to make it there by then.

‘It seems like you'll be
giving
presents rather than getting them. What a great surprise for your families.' Iris was excited for them all.

‘We'd like to call and see Father O'Malley on the way through if we can, maybe stop over a night. He's been real good to us so we want to thank him.'