Bora born
What a way to go _
It was Mal's birthday
out there in Walpiri country.
At a place called Lajamanu
600 miles SW of Katherine
in the Northern Territory.
He was 60 years old that Saturday morning
it was the day after the night before.
Celebrating all night since sunset
in their house behind closed doors.
Although they had a permit
to drink in this community.
Sophie and Mal always gave it a nudge
behind the blinds with their cats for company.
So they didn't lead by example
it was their own business no less.
They wouldn't mix with the locals
so found other ways to relieve the stress.
Now Sophie and Mal were a strange couple
though typical of most in those days.
Arrived in the desert
from the other side of the world
with little time for murri's and their ways.
Makes you wonder why they showed up there
most likely the lure of good pay.
That nest egg to retire on
to take them back home some day.
Sophie sure was a beauty
the same age as Mal it would seem.
Used to take Home Ec at the local school
with only one student all year.
By and by other girls would turn up
to do some work in her class.
But the answer was always the same
‘No sense in starting now
we're too far advanced.'
Sophie had trouble with letters
she had two degrees after her name.
Then the highest paid in the whole school
nothing like easing the pain.
Mal drew his last breath
this Saturday morning
as he turned on the shower at six.
Pronounced dead by mother nature
before the soap hit the floor
dropped dead from a heart attack.
Sophie heard the noise
when he hit the shower floor
there was nothing she could do.
She raced in to see what happened
no chance for Mal _ she was drunk too.
As luck would have it
a plane flew in
early that Saturday morning.
Roger Blacksmith was lying in it
the sorry camp had started mourning.
It was good news for Mal
as there was only one place to store him
at the rear of the butchers shop.
In the old freezer
between the sides of beef
till the plane came on their next stop.
Roger flew in to be buried
on his homeland, they say.
Roger flew in _ Mal flew out
business good that day.
So Mal's body was flown out
within six hours he was on his way.
From our place in the middle of the desert
to Tennant Creek by chartered airway.
Now I didn't hear about Sophie
till Tuesday arv
when talking about Mal to my mate.
He was on his way to their place
to look after and feed their cats.
‘Oh! so Sophie went for the funeral'
I encouraged a bit from my mate.
‘No,' he said with a silly look,
‘It seems Sophie was waking from sleep
to see Mal standing at the end of her bed.
‘Go on!' I said, ‘You must be joking,'
must be the drink
and the shock of Mal's death.'
‘I suppose it was,' he said
I'll be sleeping over there tonight
after I feed her cats.
The next day I caught up with him
to see how he went that night.
I could see by the look on his face
as I approached him
something had happened all right.
He went on to tell me
he had arrived there at six o'clock.
Fed the cats and left the front door open
as he settled on the couch with a book.
WIthin minutes he told me
there was this terrible noise
from the kitchen off to his right.
It was the sound of plates smashing
as if thrown down from some height.
The cats took off _ he took off
bolting out the front door.
He never turned around he said
in case Mal was all he saw.
He told me he was too scared
to go back, and lock the door that night.
So he returned the next morning before work
to check out if all was alright.
When he went inside the kitchen
he got the shock of his life.
Everything was as it should be
not a thing was out of place.
I knew the truth he was telling me
as I looked into his face.
We had been friends for some time
and besides he was still shaking.
Sophie never surfaced for two weeks
she was too scared to come back.
But when she did she met a contractor
three months later they were in the sack.
So there you go Mal _ life goes on
in Tennant Creek you are buried.
Hope at last you have found your peace
with your brothers and sisters
in the local aboriginal cemetry.
- O -
© 2004 _ Nhawrr yirrpa
out there in Walpiri country.
At a place called Lajamanu
600 miles SW of Katherine
in the Northern Territory.
He was 60 years old that Saturday morning
it was the day after the night before.
Celebrating all night since sunset
in their house behind closed doors.
Although they had a permit
to drink in this community.
Sophie and Mal always gave it a nudge
behind the blinds with their cats for company.
So they didn't lead by example
it was their own business no less.
They wouldn't mix with the locals
so found other ways to relieve the stress.
Now Sophie and Mal were a strange couple
though typical of most in those days.
Arrived in the desert
from the other side of the world
with little time for murri's and their ways.
Makes you wonder why they showed up there
most likely the lure of good pay.
That nest egg to retire on
to take them back home some day.
Sophie sure was a beauty
the same age as Mal it would seem.
Used to take Home Ec at the local school
with only one student all year.
By and by other girls would turn up
to do some work in her class.
But the answer was always the same
‘No sense in starting now
we're too far advanced.'
Sophie had trouble with letters
she had two degrees after her name.
Then the highest paid in the whole school
nothing like easing the pain.
Mal drew his last breath
this Saturday morning
as he turned on the shower at six.
Pronounced dead by mother nature
before the soap hit the floor
dropped dead from a heart attack.
Sophie heard the noise
when he hit the shower floor
there was nothing she could do.
She raced in to see what happened
no chance for Mal _ she was drunk too.
As luck would have it
a plane flew in
early that Saturday morning.
Roger Blacksmith was lying in it
the sorry camp had started mourning.
It was good news for Mal
as there was only one place to store him
at the rear of the butchers shop.
In the old freezer
between the sides of beef
till the plane came on their next stop.
Roger flew in to be buried
on his homeland, they say.
Roger flew in _ Mal flew out
business good that day.
So Mal's body was flown out
within six hours he was on his way.
From our place in the middle of the desert
to Tennant Creek by chartered airway.
Now I didn't hear about Sophie
till Tuesday arv
when talking about Mal to my mate.
He was on his way to their place
to look after and feed their cats.
‘Oh! so Sophie went for the funeral'
I encouraged a bit from my mate.
‘No,' he said with a silly look,
‘It seems Sophie was waking from sleep
to see Mal standing at the end of her bed.
‘Go on!' I said, ‘You must be joking,'
must be the drink
and the shock of Mal's death.'
‘I suppose it was,' he said
I'll be sleeping over there tonight
after I feed her cats.
The next day I caught up with him
to see how he went that night.
I could see by the look on his face
as I approached him
something had happened all right.
He went on to tell me
he had arrived there at six o'clock.
Fed the cats and left the front door open
as he settled on the couch with a book.
WIthin minutes he told me
there was this terrible noise
from the kitchen off to his right.
It was the sound of plates smashing
as if thrown down from some height.
The cats took off _ he took off
bolting out the front door.
He never turned around he said
in case Mal was all he saw.
He told me he was too scared
to go back, and lock the door that night.
So he returned the next morning before work
to check out if all was alright.
When he went inside the kitchen
he got the shock of his life.
Everything was as it should be
not a thing was out of place.
I knew the truth he was telling me
as I looked into his face.
We had been friends for some time
and besides he was still shaking.
Sophie never surfaced for two weeks
she was too scared to come back.
But when she did she met a contractor
three months later they were in the sack.
So there you go Mal _ life goes on
in Tennant Creek you are buried.
Hope at last you have found your peace
with your brothers and sisters
in the local aboriginal cemetry.
- O -
© 2004 _ Nhawrr yirrpa
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What a way to go _
What a way to go _
