Chapter 3
The following morning Heath woke, the sun was peeking over the horizon, he looked down to where Blue dozed quietly, draped over the end of his swag. He reached for his tobacco and rolled himself a morning smoke. Touching flame to it he shook the match out and drew deeply.
"Good morning Stevie." He said quietly.
"Morning Heath, how did you know I was there?" Stevie asked, hopping down off the front rail and walking over to him, plonking herself down on the grass.
"Blue always lets me know."
Hearing his name, Blue stuck his head up and looked happily at them both, his tail thudding gently on the heavy canvas, sending dust into the air. Stevie wrinkled her nose.
"Swag smells a touch funky."
Yeah bound to when you've spent months on the trail, with nothing but bore water to wash your gear in."
"Reminds me of when I was on the circuit." Said Stevie with an easy laugh.
"Yeah, guess I've been used to it for so long, been on the wallaby for basically my entire adulthood."
"Can't imagine what that's like."
"Yeah, like anything but, good and bad ay."
"Freedoms good." Stevie mused.
"Yeah, the bush scenery too." Heath replied.
"Your own boss."
"No one to answer to."
Swags around the fire at night."
"Yeah that's the good stuff alright."
"The bad though, being away from your family." Stevie said.
"Yeah well I have no family ay, it gets real lonely out there some days, most nights too, you can go days without seeing a single soul, No one knows where you are, and no one cares either. If you go, then you're just another drifter. Gone like the changing of the seasons. I know a song about it, I'll have to play it for you sometime."
"Cheers ay, that'd be great ay." Stevie said in a somewhat mocking tone.
"Yeah, yeah. I know, spent a lot of time in Queensland." Said Heath, rolling his eyes.
It was at that moment that Claire pulled up.
"I'm off to Gungellan, did you want anything Heath? Stevie?"
"No thanks Claire, I'll be right." Stevie called.
"All good thanks Claire, I'm headed in soon so Ill grab what I need then."
"What? On your horse? It's a day's ride!" Claire exclaimed.
"Yeah actually, I will get a lift with you." Heath said. See ya Stevie."
"Yep, see ya. I'm going to head over to Wilgul, see if Nick needs a hand."
"Okay." Claire replied.
"C'mon Blue, geddup the back!"
At Gungellan.
Claire walked out of the rural, she saw Heath across the road, he shook a blokes hand and was gesturing back towards Drovers.
"What was that about?" Claire asked as he climbed back into the Ute.
"Just organised myself a little something, hope it is ok, I'm getting it delivered to Drovers."
As long as it's not a crocodile you're putting in the swimming hole, I'm fine with it."
"No worries, appreciate it."
"So meg was telling me about your Dad?"
"Yeah, I found a few things out about him I didn't know. Still it makes sense now, he used to talk about this place, it's just as I used to envision as a kid ya know? It's good to finally see it."
"Yeah, well if you are feeling up to it, I'd like to put a barbeque on for you, get a few of the neighbours around and hear a few of your tales from the trails."
"Geez, you're a poet and you didn't know it!" Heath said with a laugh.
"Oh yeah, I just rhyme all the time." Claire said, not realising what she had said and then they both laughed.
Claire looked sideways at him, he was a bit of a rough one looks wise, although who knew what the worn clothing hid beneath it. Although, he could be married. She reasoned. Best not go there, things had turned out so well with Peter Johnson, she didn't want to make too much of a fool of herself again.
"So you are asking me to stay yes?"
"Yes, that's if you want to?" Claire said, unsure of where this was going.
"I'd be grateful, I'll work for me keep, I'll camp by the river if that's ok."
"Come on, stay at the house."
"Nah, need the open air."
"Well, the shearers quarters then."
"Nah thanks."
"The shed? The stables?" Claire pushed.
"Nah, thanks though Claire, I really do appreciate it, but for all these years on the wallaby, I have developed some very bad habits. So I'll keep to myself at night if that's ok."
"Sure, I understand, if you change your mind, or do you do Neanderthal rituals or something?" She asked smiling.
"Oh yeah, all the time, every night, the whole Pagan thing, you know, sacrifice animals to the gods, bite the heads off bats, dance around nude. You know, that old chestnut." By the time he finished, Claire was staring open mouthed out the windscreen.
"Hey! I'm joking." Heath said.
"Id hope so." Claire replied laughing.
"Yeah," Said Heath looking out the window, "only do it when there's a full moon." And they both laughed.
