Colin F. Jones

~ Once Upon A Times ~
THE COUNTRY BOY

Due to circumstance, I, in an endeavour to seek my fortune, and in order to free my parents and family from poverty, at around about age 17, went by Shank’s pony, north to the cane fields. However, I arrived before the cutting season, thus was forced to make an alternate decision. I decided to proceed to Sydney some 500 miles to the south.

I had met, in the meanwhile, an Englishman of some tall, well-endowed stature, who had, in contradiction to the ‘bulldog’ determination noted in Englishmen, disembarked from his ship, a British Aircraft Carrier, without permission, and was not of the intention of returning. He had however dismayed by his adventure, unfortunately for him, determined that life in the Australian bush, was without the comforts of the London Coffee Shops which he longed to return too, thus had resigned to ‘give himself up’, as it were, less fearful of what punishment might result, than having to spend another day in the insect infested northern regions of the Eastern Coast of Australia, which most who lived there considered to be a paradise.

We had managed some 50 or so weary miles when darkness came about and the heavens racked with thunder and lightning. This was soon followed by torrential rain that rendered us quite without comfort. It was as early as 2am, very dark, windy and pouring with rain, when a car chanced to pass, and pulled to the edge of the road some yards hence. The driver opened his door and with difficulty entered the rain despite, as we, not being properly clothed for the occasion. He took with him, to lean upon, a pair of wooden crutches, and in the teeming rain and bleak darkness he prompted our attention.

Our distant destination was soon established, and in order that we take advantage of the comforts of his vehicle, certain articles were removed from the rear seat and placed in the spacious boot. We were then invited to occupy the comforts of the interior rear seats. The gentleman and his wife beside him were both disabled from leg injuries received in a vehicle accident, and the steering wheel had been provided with the necessary attachments to allow him to exercise the progress of his vehicle, which was in design of large proportion and by name a Ford Customline.

Personally I had thought it at some risk that the gentleman and his wife had stopped to assist us, for in such blackness and foul weather they could not have possibly ascertained our countenance with any clear accuracy, and they were rather handicapped, rendering them unlikely to have much ability to acknowledge whatever resilience they might possess.

The trip was long and two stops were made where food and drink was provided by our host, for he had soon established with us our lack of finance. Near the Central Rail Station in Sydney we embarked and our host provided us with twelve shillings in order to obtain accommodation for the night. Indeed we were grateful, and thanked him and his good wife heartily before he drove away. They had promised to return to that spot the following day, but we did not see them ever again.

Apart from the sandwiches provided by our host we had not consumed food in three days; we were very hungry. The day had passed that now darkness had descended, and most places, which sold food in the nearby area, were closed.

We walked along the footpath to a dimly lit lane that in fact was a street, in which tall buildings, hemmed it in giving the appearance of a lane. Some 100 yards therein was an open double door atop three steps, with a pale light extended above, displaying within its yellow circumference two very large men, one each side of the opening, standing erect with arms folded. Both had grim unsmiling faces, and glared distractingly upon us as we with some expected timidity approached them.

“Soup’s inside if you want it,” one of them muttered in a very rough manner. “That is if ya have a ‘tanner’ (sixpence)”

We both exposed a sixpenny silver piece, which was deftly accepted by their clumsy paws, and we were ushered roughly into a small hallway, which led past an office on the left and into the dining room. What became apparent was astonishing!

To be continued…

©Copyright March 2002 by Colin F. Jones