Outback - 4. OB Chapter 4

Two days later, the two supply trucks arrived, the first being the fuel and station supplies truck, and later in the day the mail truck arrived, also carrying all of the food supplies, this time the supplies were double in size because of the approaching mustering season, in just over a week’s time. About an hour after dark, Matthew’s family arrived in their Landover with a trailer in tow, and everyone on the station was having dinner, in the main dining hall. As expected, Christopher was being very rude, arrogant and barged into the dining room demanding his dinner. The four station workers had completed their dinner, stood up to leave, making room for the new arrivals.

Christopher announced “I’m not sitting were those dirty Blacks were sitting.”

Bas was about to say something when Matthew growled, “Sit down and shut up.”

Matthew’s wife Julia, snapped, “Matthew do NOT speak to my son like that!”

Bas groaned at that comment, and Christopher smirked at Bas. Bas stood up told Mathew, “I will see you in the morning at 7am.” and walked out as Matthew and his wife argued.

Barrett, his family and the Finch family had already left the dining hall, having dinner early as usual. Toby stood and followed the boss out the door, leaving Derick and Betty to clear the table, so they could serve dinner for the late arrivals, before cleaning up the kitchen, clearing the table for the last time. The next morning at 5am, Bas was up enjoying a continental breakfast at the village, before going to his new office to finalize the day’s program, before heading to the machinery shed at 6 am.

Once the station staff had gathered in the machinery shed, Bas announced, “Because the obvious tensions, I’ve decided that Barrett and Toby will go and check the three holding yards to the north. See if any maintenance is required. Jake, you and your brothers will feed of all the animals before going to the south end of the station to check the other two holding yards, do what is needed there. Finally, collect your pack lunches from the kitchen and remain in radio contact.”

Bas went to the kitchen and speaking, “Derick, Betty,” looking back and forth between the two, “Sorry about the ugliness at the hands of my cousin. How are you two handling things?”

Derick look at his wife to answer, “Bas, Matthew was a very nice and polite gentleman, but the behaviour of his wife and son was totally opposite. Both Christopher and his mother, Julia were rude arrogant.”

Derick broke in with a growl, “They acted as though they were rulers and station staff are the slaves!”

“I have an idea how to reduce the amount of contact they have with station staff,” Bas replied, “But I’ll explain about it later. Changing the subject, let us go over the new supplies that have arrived, and some items that didn't arrive.” The three of them discussed the shipment and what they needed to do about the missing items.

Matthew walked in shortly after that saying “Good morning all. Mind if I help myself to a cup of tea?”

Betty responded, “Here, let me get you a plate.” She placed a plate of toast, scrambled eggs and tomato in front of Matthew.

“Thank you, chef, for a delicious breakfast.”

“Matthew, could you please join me for a drive, and a bit of a talk?” Bas asked.

Matthew groaned but knowing this would be coming, but didn’t say anything.

Bas could not help but laugh, “That sounds familiar,” as he headed out, with Mathew (Matthew) following. Bas waved and said good morning to his hospitality staff.

They remained silent for most of the 3km drive to the village, which is all-new for Matthew, as are the improvements to the airfield. “Wow Bas, you really improved the place.”

“Thank-you,” Bas replied.

As they walked into the office, Matthew was surprised by the setup, saying, “I recognize the desk and other equipment from the old office, Bas”

Bas motioned Matthew to sit, before sitting himself. “Uncle we need to talk about what has been happening. I will not have your family treating the station staff like slaves. Yes, all this equipment is from the old office. Because of all the tensions, I moved the station office and myself away from the homestead. I also suggest that you and your family eat their breakfasts and lunches in the homestead formal dining room, you all will eat dinner in the dining hall at 6 pm along with the other two families. The station staff will eat at the usual at 7pm.”

“I am sorry about my son’s behaviour and I understand why you have done this,” Matthew related, with just a hint of guilt.

Bas continued, “I’m asking you to keep Christopher away from the school building, I believe he would prove to be too much of a distraction to the classes. Our classes are a lot different from standard school classes. Christopher could be given some school exercises and assignments, but they would need to be done in the homestead, possibly in the formal dining room.”

“I think it would be best,” Matthew agreed to these suggestions.

Which pleased Bas, as he continued, “To be clear, Uncle, I am in charge of the station and Barrett is assisting, and any disruption to the operation of the station will not be tolerated. If needed, I will notify Mike and Sue will be notified of your family’s immediate removal from the property.”

“I understand, but I really hope that won’t be necessary,” Matthew said.

After going into the lounge to have a cup of tea and relax from the tensions, Bas heard the fax machine beep, and he went into the office to see what it was, coming out of the office, Bas informed Matthew that the RFDS plane would be landing at dusk for an overnight stay. Bas took Matthew on a tour of the airfield, and the building improvements, before heading back to the homestead. While Matthew went to look for his family, Bas went to the kitchen to speak to Derick and Betty.

“Hi Betty, Derick. We will be hosting some RFDS guests tonight,” he told them.

Betty responded. “I suggest that I prepare a meal for Matthew’s family, while Derick prepare an outdoor barbeque dinner for the guests and the station staff and families, for a 7 pm sitting.”

“I like the idea,” Bas said, while Derick was nodding in agreement. “I will leave you and Derick so you can begin.”

From the radio in the kitchen, Bas called all station staff, and asked to switch to the alternate channel, a few moments later Bas called back on the alternate channel, informing them of the RFDS arrival and the bbq dinner planned at the village for all permanent station staff and families. He asked all staff to be at the village at 6.30 pm. Bas collected a packed lunch and returned to the office to continue doing some paper work, including completing a letter to newspapers in Liechtenstein, to continue the search for his birth mother, Natalia. At 11.45 am, he received a telephone call in the office.

“Hello?” Bas answered.

“Bas, its Sarah, Christopher is running a stick along the corrugated wall of the school, disrupting the class,” she told him.

“Sarah, go ahead and end class early and I will deal with it,” but before he could finish, he heard Julia screaming

“I can’t believe you, called that bastard complaining about my angel's behaviour.”

“Sarah!” raising his voice, Bas told her, “Pass the phone to Julia”

Sarah tries to pass the phone to Julia, but Bas heard Julia say, “No way do I want to speak to that mongrel of a so called nephew

This made Bas furious, “Thanks Sarah,” and rung off the call.)

After having another cup of tea, to give him time calm down, Bas ate his packed lunch while finishing the plans for mustering. At 2 pm, Bas telephoned Mike and Sue in the city, Mike was now out of hospital but requiring daily physiotherapy, and so they were staying in an apartment they owned as an investment.

Bas informed them, “Mike, Sue I’ve tried to reduce some of the friction between Julia and her son and the station staff, treating them like slaves! Christopher disrupted school, too. I’m worried about the RFDS plane due at dusk.”

Mike informed him, “Bas continue with your efforts to reduce friction, but not do anything. They are family.”

“But Mike, there is already a lot of tension amongst the staff, all who were already furious with Christopher's racist comment just minutes after arriving last night,” Bas tried.

“Take no action against them, Bas, that’s final!”

Bas ended the telephone call, with him not happy with his parent’s response. Bas made another call, this time to Matthew. “Matthew just letting you know, you and your family will be fed in the main dining room at the homestead at 6.30 pm. The station staff and I will be eating with the RFDS guests; I will talk to you in the morning.”

“Thanks, Bas. See you in the morning. Goodnight”

Bas was in the office when the radio call came from the aircraft, he flicked on the runway lights, and radioed back the wind direction, wind speed, and that they were cleared to land on the east-west runway. Bas went out to get ready for refuelling of the plane, once it has parked. The station staff had already gathered for the bbq feast, while to a few minutes to the crew settled into their quarters before dinner.

Meanwhile Betty was preparing to serve a full roast dinner, when Matthew walked into the kitchen and warned, “I’m sorry, Betty, but my wife was in a real foul mood, and I can’t do anything to calm her down.”

At 6.45 pm, as everyone at the village was preparing to eat, a Ute came roaring up to the village, Julia jumping out of the vehicle before stopping it. The vehicle continued to roll and crashed into the side of the lounge building. Ignoring the crash and the shocked Christopher still seated in the vehicle, Julia stormed up to Bas demanding, “Why were we, not been invited to this BBQ?”

While Julia was berating Bas, the RFDS doctor and nurse rushed to Christopher's aid, as he had bumped his head on the dashboard, when the vehicle crashed

Matthew arrived to see the chaos unfold, and seeing that his son was being cared for, he turned to deal with his wife. At the top of his voice, for the first time ever he confronted his wife, “Julia! Shut up and behave yourself. I have had enough of your disgraceful behaviour.”

Julia fell silent, stunned at how her husband just spoke to her, but only for a moment. She started to verbally abuse Matthew, and that distracted her from seeing the doctor approaching from behind with a sedation needle. Bas and Barrett were beside the Doctor, ready to hold her still while she was being sedated. Barrett had been smart enough to take his telephone out and video record the whole event, from before the Ute crash until the doctor asked, “Matthew, I need permission to sedate your wife.”

“Do it,” he answered, “she a danger to everyone.”

“Your son,” the doctor said “Is suffering from a small cut on the forehead and mild concussion; I’ll want sedate him, too”

Both were placed in a room overnight to prepare for transport to hospital in the morning. After a very subdued dinner, everyone went to bed early.