No Sugar (8 page)

SERGEANT
: Yes, sir.

NEVILLE
: Well, I won't keep you. You've got a couple of hours before your train.

SERGEANT
: Yes, I'm going down to Boan's to pick a few presents for the Mrs and the kids.

NEVILLE
: Good, thank you for your co-operation. And don't forget, no dogs.

SERGEANT
: [
standing
] Thank you, Mr Neville. All the best for Christmas.

NEVILLE
: And to you and yours.

The
SERGEANT
moves past
MISS DUNN
's desk.

MISS DUNN
: Goodbye, Sergeant. Have a happy Christmas.

SERGEANT
: Same to you, madam.

The
SERGEANT
exits.

Government Well, Northam, day.
CISSIE
with the aid of a knife is looking for lice in
DAVID
's hair.
MILLY
and
GRAN
sew. A car approaches.

CISSIE
: Keep still!

DAVID
: Well stop diggin' a hole in me head.

CISSIE
: Hold still, I got a big one.

GRAN
: [
looking up at the car
]
Gneean nitja koorling
?

MILLY
:
Allewah
,
manatj
!

CISSIE
: They got Dad and Joe and Uncle Jimmy.

MILLY
: Gawd, hope they haven't been caught stealin' a sheep.

Everyone is silent. The three men are escorted to the camp by the
SERGEANT
and
CONSTABLE
.

What's up?

JIMMY
: [
nodding at the
SERGEANT
] Just listen to him.

SAM
: We're all goin'.

He gestures Nyoongah fashion as the
CONSTABLE
goes through a pile of warrants.

SERGEANT
: Millimurra and Munday.

GRAN
: Goin'? Where?

SERGEANT
: I've got warrants here for the arrest and apprehension of all of youse.

MILLY
: What for? We ain't done nothin'.

SERGEANT
: I never said you did. You're bein' transferred, every native in Northam's goin'!

MILLY
: Goin' where?!

SAM
: Mogumber.

CONSTABLE
: You're being transferred to the Moore River Native Settlement.

GRAN
: I ain't goin'.

CONSTABLE
: You're all goin'. You're under arrest.

GRAN
: What for? We done nothin' wrong.

SERGEANT
: It's for health reasons. Epidemic of skin disease.

JIMMY
: Bullshit, I'll tell you why we're goin'.

CONSTABLE
: You wouldn't know.

JIMMY
: You reckon blackfellas are bloody mugs. Whole town knows why we're goin'. 'Coz
wetjalas
in this town don't want us 'ere, don't want our kids at the school, with their kids, and old Jimmy Mitchell's tight 'coz they reckon Bert 'Awke's gonna give him a hidin' in the election.

CONSTABLE
: What the hell would you know? You don't even vote.

JIMMY
: I know more about
wetjala
's gubment than you do, and what I'm tellin' you's the truth.

CONSTABLE
: Bullshit.

SERGEANT
: Shut up, will you? I don't know whose idea it is, it's got nothin' to do with me.

CONSTABLE
: You barkin' up the wrong tree, Munday.

JIMMY
: Bullshit, Jimmy Mitchell's—

SERGEANT
: [
interrupting
] Look, I know this much; Jimmy Mitchell's got nothin' against blackfellas, or anybody else, for that matter.

JIMMY
: No, he's got nothin' against 'em. Not worth losin' a bloody election over, that's all. I'll tell youse somethin': you're wastin' your fuckin' time.

CONSTABLE
: Hey, all right.

JIMMY
: 'Coz
wetjalas
aren't gonna vote for 'im. You know why? 'Coz he's got all them Chinamens workin' on his farm at Grass Valley and
wetjalas
don't like that. He's gunna get rida the blackfellas, he should get rid of them Chinamens too.

SERGEANT
: Oh, Jesus, shut up will youse? You're all goin' and that's that, an' if you don't co-operate you'll just go along for resisting arrest and escaping legal custody.

SAM
: When are we supposed to be leavin'?

SERGEANT
: On the seven-twenty mixed goods train in the morning. You'll be camping in the goods shed overnight.

MILLY
: What about all our things?

SERGEANT
: You can pack personal things belonging to you. Herbert Munday is too old to go by road, Sam and his family will be going on the road party, with his horse and spring cart. Jimmy and Gran can go on the train.

GRAN
: I ain't goin' on no train, I'm goin' with Sam and Milly. You're not makin' me go on no train.

CONSTABLE
: You'll get pretty hot walkin'.

SERGEANT
: Listen, Granny, the road trip will take four days. You'll be better off on the train.

GRAN
: Chergeant, I ain't goin' on no train. You can put me in gaol if you want to.

She begins to wail and cry.

I'm not goin' by train; what we leaving Gubment Well for?
Wetjala warrah
,
warrahmut
,
oooh
!

SERGEANT
: All right, all right, Gran, you can go by road if you want to.

GRAN
: [
recovering instantly
] I am, too.

CONSTABLE
: It's her funeral if she doesn't make it.

JIMMY
: It'll be your funeral.

SERGEANT
: That's enough. Jimmy, you're comin' with us. The rest of you better start packin' and go and get Herbie's horse and cart.

SAM
: What about our kangaroo dogs?

SERGEANT
: I'm under strict orders that no dogs are allowed to go.

SAM
: What, leave the dogs behind?

JIMMY
: Come off it, Sergeant, how are they gonna get meat on the way?

CONSTABLE
: You won't need to worry, you'll be on the train.

SERGEANT
: There's plenty of rabbits.

JOE
: What, are you gonna run 'em down?

SERGEANT
: According to Dr Aberdeen you've got a serious heart condition, so you'll be going on the train, Jimmy.

JIMMY
: I'm not goin' on no fuckin' train.

GRAN
: Chergeant, I'm not leavin' Wow Wow behind. If I can't take him, I'm not goin'.

MILLY
: Who's gonna look after our dogs?

CONSTABLE
: We'll attend to them.

MILLY
: Yeah, we know that.

JIMMY
: With a police bullet.

GRAN
: [
frantically
] You're not gonna shoot Wow, you're not gonna shoot Wow Wow. You hear me, Chergeant? I'm not goin'.

GRAN
is frantic now. She tears her hair and throws plates and mugs about.

SERGEANT
: Oh Jesus, take your bloody mangy Wow Wow, whatever you call it. Take the bloody lot, just remember to be ready to move out tomorrow morning.

The police escort
JIMMY
away. The family looks on in stunned silence.
CISSIE
clings to her mother and cries.

END OF ACT ONE

The track to Moore River, day. The family enters. They are laden with possessions, hot, dusty and tired. In a clearing at the Long Pool Camp, Moore River Native Settlement,
JIMMY
erects a bush shade over a tent. The family is approached by a tracker,
BILLY KIMBERLEY
.
He smokes a clay pipe and carries a whip.

BILLY
: Mornin', mornin'.

SAM
: Gawd, who the fuckin' hell are you?

BILLY
: I'm a politjman, name Billy Kimberley.

DAVID
: [
amazed, to
CISSIE
] He's a policeman!

SAM
: More like Tom Mix.

BILLY
holds out his pipe.

BILLY
: You got
killarla
?

CISSIE
: He might be Buck Jones.

SAM
: Ain't got none.

GRAN
: You ain't politjman, you just black tracker.

BILLY
: All right, you fella follow me, now. I show you where your camp. Come on now, this way.

They follow
BILLY
towards the clearing.

CISSIE
: [
to
DAVID
,
nodding at
BILLY
] Gawd, he's black.

DAVID
: He ain't black, he's purple!

GRAN
:
Choo
, you fellas want to
dubakieny wahnginy
. He might be
boolyaduk
.

JOE
: Ah, Granny, he's
yuart
. [
Making an open gesture
] He's like that.

They approach
JIMMY
.

JIMMY
: 'Ullo! 'Ullo! How's everybody?

SAM
: Tired, bloody tired.

They start to unload their possessions.

BILLY
: Now, you fellas sit down along this place, you hear me? Matron comin' bye and bye.

MILLY
: Who?

JIMMY
: Matron, Superintendent's Missus. She runs the hospital.

MILLY
: When's she comin'?

BILLY
: Dunno, 'morrow, must be next day. She comin' you fella all wait this place now.

BILLY
exits.

JOE
: Gawd strewth!

The children laugh at the departed
BILLY
.

JIMMY
: Anyway, how you, Mill? Joe and you kids? Mum?

MILLY
: We're all right, I s'pose.

JIMMY
: And how you, Mother?

GRAN
: I'm
warrah
,
gnuny tjenna minditj
; and I got no
gnumrnarri
.

JIMMY
: Never mind, Mother, here.

JIMMY
takes some tobacco from his pocket and gives it to her.

GRAN
:
Winjar kaep
?

JIMMY
: Straight down the pad, there.

MILLY
: You kids get a billy each and go and get some water.

DAVID
: Oh boy, I'm gonna have a swim.

MILLY
: No, you ain't. Might be
bilbarl
,
dugaitj
, anything down there.

DAVID
: Aw, Mum.

MILLY
: I said no!

JOE
: I'll come with youse.

MILLY
: All right, you can if Joe's with youse.

DAVID
: Come on, Cissie!

MILLY
: Take the water bag.

They take it and run off.

JIMMY
: Kimberley tell youse where to get the tucker tonight?

MILLY
: No.

JIMMY
: Down the kitchen.

SAM
: Where?

JIMMY
: Soup Kitchen.

SAM
: Good tucker?

JIMMY
: More like three-course bloody pig swill. Treacle and bread or bread and fat, take your pick.

SAM
: What about
daitj
?

JIMMY
: Meat? You gotta be jokin'.

MILLY
: What about a sheet of iron for the fireplace?

JIMMY
: Don't worry, I know where I can get one. Come on, Sam, I'll knock it off, you can watch.

JIMMY
exits, followed by
SAM
.

GRAN
:
Cooo
,
cooo
! You come back now, Jimmy, you hear?
Cooo
!

MILLY
unrolls a blanket. She and
GRAN
are left alone.

MILLY
: Come on, Mum, lay down and have a rest.

A clearing near the Moore River, day.
JOE
,
DAVID
and
CISSIE
fill a water bag from billy cans.

JOE
: Don't spill it.

CISSIE
: I'm tryin' not to.

DAVID
tries the water.

JOE
: Good
kaep
.

CISSIE
: Don't spit in it.

DAVID
: I ain't.

Unseen, two girls approach:
TOPSY
and
MARY
,
who carries a bag of meat.
DAVID
takes his shirt off.

Where we gonna swim?

CISSIE
: Dunno, let's find a place.

DAVID
sees the girls.

DAVID
:
Tjinung
,
yorgahs
!

They all look.

JOE
: Gidday.

MARY
: Hello.

TOPSY
: You fellas amongst the Northam lot?

JOE
: Yeah, that's Cissie, and that's David. I'm Joe, Joe Millimurra. We're all Millimurras.

TOPSY
: I'm Topsy, that's Mary. She's from up North.

JOE
: They grow 'em pretty up there.

DAVID
,
CISSIE
and
TOPSY
giggle.

What you got in the bag?

TOPSY
:
Yonga
, we're takin' it up to Uncle Herbie.

CISSIE
: Uncle Herbie's our uncle too.

JOE
: How come he's your uncle?

TOPSY
: His cousin is our grandfather—I think, on our mum's side. How come he's your uncle?

CISSIE
: He's married to our aunt. You know, not really married.

She and
DAVID
dissolve into the giggles.

JOE
: [
to
MARY
] Are you related too?

MARY
: No.

DAVID
and
CISSIE
laugh.

DAVID
: Eh,
gnoon
, you're cruel!

JOE
: Shut up. Take the water back, you two.

DAVID
: What about our swim?

JOE
: I'll take youse later, get goin'!

CISSIE
and
DAVID
run off, shouting:

CISSIE
and
DAVID
: [
together
] Joe's got a girlfriend, Joe's got a girlfriend.

They exit.

TOPSY
: I got to get goin' to set the tables for supper.

TOPSY
exits.

JOE
: [
to
MARY
] I can take the meat for you if you like.

MARY
approaches with the bag of meat.

What's your name?

MARY
: Mary.

JOE
: I know that. Your full name?

MARY
: Mary Dargurru.

She runs after
TOPSY
,
still carrying the meat.

JOE
: Mary!

MARY
: [
stopping
] Yeah?

JOE
: The
daitj
.

MARY
: Oh, yeah.

She returns to him with it.

JOE
: [
taking the meat
] When will I see you again?

MARY
: Dunno.

JOE
: Can you be here tomorrow?

MARY
: I'll try.

JOE
: Don't say ‘try', say you will be.

MARY
: All right.

JOE
: Same time.

MARY
: I'll try, I mean, yes.

JOE
: I'm glad we're not related.

MARY
: So am I.

She runs off.
JOE
watches her into the distance.

Long Pool Camp, Moore River, a hot day.
CISSIE
and
DAVID
play knuckle bones.
MILLY
and
JOE
enter with water.
GRAN
sits in the shade. The dogs bark.
BILLY
trudges on, followed at a distance by
MATRON NEAL
,
TOPSY
and
MARY
.

BILLY
: [
calling
] You fella got them
doothoo
tied up?

SAM
: [
calling
] Yeah.

BILLY
: Come on, Missus, come on.

SAM
: [
to
JOE
] Nothin' to bite on him, he's all skin and bone.

JOE
: Plenty of meat on the matron.

BILLY
: You fella stand up straight, now.

DAVID
: Hey, that's them girls.

BILLY
: [
poking his whip at
DAVID
] You shut up now.

JOE
: Hey, old man,
dubakieny
.

MATRON
: Good morning, good morning. Now, all the family here?

GRAN
: My boy Jimmy ain't.

MATRON
: [
checking her list
] Munday, James Emanuel. Oh, yes, with the train party. It's all right, we've seen him. Now let's see. Samuel, Millicent, Joseph, David and Cecilia, and the grandmother. Good. Now I'm the matron, Matron Neal, and I'm in charge of the hospital and Topsy here is helping me.

DAVID
: We already seen her.

JOE
: Shut up,
gnoon
.

MATRON
: Now, seeing you came here for health reasons, I'd just like to examine you.

GRAN
: What for?

MATRON
: For any skin complaints, Granny.

GRAN
: Scabies? We ain't got it.

SAM
: Even the dogs ain't got it.

BILLY
: You be quiet now, Matron make you no more sick fella.

JOE
: What's he yakkin' about? We ain't sick.

BILLY
threatens
JOE
nervously with the whip.

MATRON
: All right, Billy. Now David, you first. Come on.

He doesn't move.
BILLY
prods him with the whip.

Billy!

DAVID
: I ain't takin' me pants off.

JOE
: Me either.

TOPSY
giggles.

MATRON
: Just your shirt will do for a start.

She begins to take
DAVID
's shirt off.
TOPSY
moves to help him but he jumps away and does it himself.

DAVID
: Git!

MILLY
: David.

MATRON
examines his hands, elbows and knees, ankles and abdomen.

MATRON
: Good boy. Now you, Cecilia.

She checks her much the same way.

MILLY
: None of us got it.

MATRON
checks her and
SAM
.

MATRON
: No, they're a healthy lot, a credit to you, Millicent. All right Joe, take your shirt off.

JOE
: There's nothin' wrong with me.

MATRON
: No, I'm sure there's not. I just want to check.

She checks him in the same way.

How old are you, Joe?

JOE
: Dunno.

MILLY
: He's seventeen next burnin' season.

MATRON
: He's a strapping lad.

GRAN
gets up.

No need to get up, Gran, I'm sure you're all right.

GRAN
: Joe, show Matron your belly button, go on.

She pulls
JOE
's shirt up.

What do you think of that, Matron?

JOE
: Aw Gran,
kienya
.

GRAN
: Isn't that the neatest belly button you seen? Have a look, Matron. I brought him into the world with me own two hands.