The Boys from Binjiwunyawunya by Robert G. Barrett

anything special. Wine trifle with homemade rockmelon ice-cream and banana, raspberry and paw-paw custard.
    â€˜Hello,’ said Murray, ‘I’ve got you this time. There’s definitely sweet sherry in the bloody trifle.’
    Tjalkalieri tilted his head and held up his hands apologetically. ‘Sorry about that, Muzz. But you know how it is. Old habits die hard.’
    â€˜That’s all right mate. I understand.’
    After they’d finished eating, the girls cleared the table and Numidi brought out four freshly made mugs of Vienna coffee. The men sat there sipping and talking for a while till Murray glanced at his watch and eased his chair back from the table.
    â€˜Well, it’s getting on for half past seven,’ he said, getting to his feet and licking some whipped cream off his top lip.
    â€˜I might ring Les and tell him what’s going on.’
    â€˜You know where the phone is,’ said Mumbi.
    â€˜Yeah. I might give Elaine a ring too.’
    Murray clomped down the corridor and did just that, talking to the kids as well and telling them he should be home some time tomorrow. Then he rang his brother in Sydney.
    â€˜That you Murray?’ said Les when he heard the STD pips.
    â€˜Yeah. I’m out at Binjiwunyawunya now. How’s things?’
    â€˜Good. So you got there. How was the trip?’
    â€˜Piece of piss.’
    â€˜That’s good. Anyway, what’d the boys say? Are they interested?’
    â€˜Yeah, they’re keen.’
    â€˜Ahh. Bloody ripper.’
    â€˜But they want fifty grand. They reckon your boss can afford it.’
    â€˜Fifty! Shit. Oh well, don’t matter. Tell them that’s sweet.’
    â€˜Okay. So what do you want to do?’
    â€˜When are you heading back to Dirranbandi? Are you in any hurry to leave?’
    Murray glanced towards the kitchen where he knew the huge fridge was jammed with Fourex and four beautiful young girls were cleaning up and probably not doing anything in particular after that. ‘Well... you know I don’t like to be away from the family for too long. But I suppose I can hang around here a bit longer for you. Why, what’s up?’
    â€˜Well, I’ve got to sort out a few things down here tomorrow morning. Can you ring me from there say... two-thirty tomorrow?’
    â€˜Sure. No worries. Do you want to speak to the boys yourself?’
    â€˜No. I’ll more than likely see them out at Boulia on Thursday. And you said they’re keen to do it.’
    â€˜Yeah. Chafing at the bit.’
    â€˜Good. Well I’ll let you go Muzz, and I’ll hear from you tomorrow.’
    â€˜Okay. See you then Les.’
    â€˜See you, Muzz. Say hello to the boys for me. Hey! Have they got any sheilas staying there with them?’
    â€˜Yeah reckon. Four top little sorts... I mean three.’
    â€˜Ahh you lying prick. There’s four there. No wonder you don’t mind staying there — you cunt.’
    â€˜I’ll ring you tomorrow Les. See you then mate.’
    â€˜Yeah, you bastard. And don’t you forget.’
    Murray was still laughing when he clomped back into the lounge room where the others were sipping Drambuies.
    â€˜And how was your brother?’ asked Tjalkalieri after Murray had sat down and picked up the liqueur glass full of Drambuie one of the girls had left for him.
    â€˜He’s good, Chalky. Said to say hello and all that. He was going to have a yarn to you but he reckons he’ll be up here himself on Thursday. I’ve got to ring him at half past two tomorrow to make sure.’
    â€˜Anything else?’
    Murray glanced towards the four girls cleaning up in the kitchen and chuckled to himself. ‘No. That was about it.’
    They sat there comfortably, the four of them, sipping their liqueurs and chatting about the coming events. Suddenly Murray got to his feet saying he’d better go out and feed Grungle, but Nantjinin