Beyond Frontier - 19. BF Chapter 19

At the airport I was taken directly to the aircraft where I was loaded on, and handed my small number of belongings and my new mobile phone and charger. I was informed that we would be flying to Kununurra first, for a quick refuel, then onwards to Nicholson station. Once in the air, I relaxed and drifted off to sleep, waking up just as we landed at the Kununurra airport, where I was offloaded, and taken to the terminal, while the plane was being refuelled.

In the terminal I found a power point and put my phone on charge, and turned it on. I did a white page search for Nicholson Station, but I couldn’t find a listing, so I did a search for the Kununurra Police station and I called their number. “Hello, officer. My name is Anton Hamilton. I was injured on Nicholson Station two weeks ago, and I can’t find a phone listing for the station.” Moments later I was given the number.

Next, I explained that I was close friends with Senior Constable Anita Adamson, and that I needed the number for the Jurien Bay police station, as her husband, Jasper, was the skipper of my yacht. I was given that number as well. I thanked him and ended the call. Firstly, I called the station. I saw on the phone that it was 10am, but wasn’t sure if that was WA time or NT time, and guessed that it was WA time.

“Nicholson Station, Anne Sanderson speaking,” a voice said as the call connected.

“Mrs Sanderson, this is Anton speaking. I am out of hospital and on a care flight back to the station. We have just stopped for a refuel at Kununurra, and we will be there in about an hour,” I said to the boss’s wife.

“Oh, Anton, that is wonderful news. We have just started cattle mustering, so everyone is out at the moment, and station school is on, so there is just me. I will come and collect you as soon as I hear the plane,” Mrs Sanderson replied happily, and she ended the call, before I could say any more.

Next, I called the Jurien Police station. “Sergeant Anders speaking,” the officer said as he answered the call.

“Hello, Sergeant, is Anita Adamson available please?” I asked. “Who is asking?” the sergeant asked cautiously.

“Oh, sorry, Sergeant. This is Anton Hamilton speaking. I am Jasper’s boss,” I responded. “Yes, Anton, we have met. Just a moment. Let me see where she is,” the officer stated. After a few long minutes he returned to the phone.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. She had dashed to the school. Apparently, her foster son has been involved in a fight,” the sergeant replied. “They are my brothers. Which one was it?” I asked sounding concerned. “Neale, I think it was, the older one,” he replied.

“Can you please give me the number of the principal at the district high school?” I asked, and as soon as I had it I said thankyou and ended the call, and dialled the new number. “Jurien District High, how can I help you?” came a voice on the phone. “This is Anton Hamilton speaking,” I said right away.

“Well hello, Anton. I heard that you were in an accident. Are you ok now?” the school staff member said. “Yes, ma’am. I was just discharged this morning. Now can I please speak to someone about this fight that my brother was involved in?” I replied, getting a little impatient.

“Yes, right away. Hold please,” the staff member said. “Deputy Principal Langton here. Is that you, Anton?” a familiar voice said, and I smiled.

“Yes, sir. I have heard about the fight involving my brother. Can you tell me some more about it please, as I am out of town at the moment?” I replied.

“From what I have gathered so far, Neale was being teased because he has a gay brother. He gave all three boys a good punch in the stomach, before the student team intervened, and brought them all up to the office. Anita is giving them a good talking to as we speak,” Mr Langton replied.

I asked the deputy to get Anita to call me, as soon as she was done, and I gave him my new phone number. I thanked him for his assistance and ended the call, just as I was being summoned back to the plane for the last stage of the flight.

I was about to board the plane, when my phone rang. “Hi, Anita, I am about to board a plane again. I will call you when I arrive at the cattle station in about an hour,” I said to her.

“Ok, mate, no problems. Everything is sorted, so call me on this number. It is my private mobile number. Bye,” Anita replied. After turning off my phone, I was loaded into the plane, and we took off shortly afterwards, heading south for Nicholson Station.

“Buzz the homestead, and the boss’s wife will come and collect me from the airfield,” I said to the nurse who was attending to me, and she passed on the message to the pilot.

About 45 minutes later, we landed on the gravel airstrip of Nicholson station, and as we came to a stop, I could see an approaching cloud of dust. When the door opened the dry hot air hit us in one hard hit momentarily taking my breath away. “Wow, and I thought it was hot in Darwin,” the nurse commented, as she and the pilot lowered me down to the ground. We stood in the shade of the plane until the station ute arrived.

“Hello, Anton. It is wonderful to see you back,” she said, giving me a light hug. “Thank you for delivering him back to us. Here is a donation for your organisation,” Anne said to the pilot and nurse. “That is very generous of you. Thank-you very much. I will have the base mail you out a receipt,” the pilot said accepting the cheque and glancing at it, he looked a little shocked.

Once I was carefully put into the station vehicle, and moved away from the plane, we stopped and watched the plane take off, before Mrs Sanderson drove carefully back to the homestead, where we found Sarah, Oscar, Ben (who was holding onto Roey), and two other children that I hadn’t yet met, all waiting for us on the front veranda of the homestead. Once the vehicle had stopped, and I stepped out, Ben placed Roey on the ground. She came rushing towards me, so I bent down to pick her up. She bounced around in my arms, licking my face and waging her tail like mad, so happy to see me again.

“Hey, Anton, you were right about her sleeping in a bed. She has slept peacefully in my bed, when you told dad that suggestion. I will miss her now that you are back,” Ben said to me, and I chuckled at the comment.

“These are my two youngest, Belinda, who is 12 next month, and Samuel, who is 10 years old,” Mrs Sanderson said making the introductions.

“Hello, kids. Thanks for looking after my pup for me. Ben, I thought you would be out with the men mustering,” I said turning to the oldest boy.

“I would usually, but I have to return to boarding school tomorrow, so I have been getting packed. Mum is driving me to Kununurra tomorrow morning,” Ben replied sounding a little disappointed.

“Never mind. Before you know it, summer holidays will have arrived, and you will have six weeks at home,” I replied trying to cheer him up.

“Will you still be here when I come back?” Ben asked me.

“No. Sorry, Mate, I won’t, but if you want to chat, while I you pack. I am willing to do that,” I replied.

“That will be awesome, if you can. Cheers!” Ben said happily.

“Ok, everyone, washup for lunch,” Sarah announced, and the Sanderson children and Oscar, all disappeared inside, with Mrs Sanderson following.

“I think someone has a crush on you, and I am not talking about James,” Sarah whispered to me.

“Well I will have to talk to him carefully then, won’t I?” I responded, as I followed her into the front of the homestead before I stopped as I remembered that I should have gone the other way.

“Keep coming this way. Anne won’t mind just this once,” Sarah said to me with a smile, and I followed her down the long hallway with two side passages, till we entered the kitchen, and I continued on to the dining room where there were 6 places set. “What would you like first, a cold drink or tea?” Sarah asked from the kitchen doorway.

“Tea would be nice please, Sarah,” I replied with a smile, just as all the younger children entered, and sat down, with Oscar sitting down next to me.

“Are you all better now, Uncle Anton?” Oscar asked me, and I smiled at him.

“Yes, buddy. I am all better. Just a little tired from all the travelling. That is all,” I said as I placed Roey on the floor. She raced into the kitchen.

“Roey, you little devil. Get off my foot,” I heard Sarah complain, and I stood up to go and retrieve her. ‘It’s ok, Anton. It is her way of saying she wants a drink of milk,” I heard Sarah call out, and I sat down again and smiled.

Mrs Sanderson brought out a large plate full of sandwiches, and Sarah appeared with a large jug of what looked like home-made lemonade, which it was. I helped myself to some sandwiches before they all disappeared, and Sarah poured me a glass of lemonade, before heading back to the kitchen. I gave a little whistle and Roey came rushing into the dining room. I leant down to scoop her up and placed her on my lap, where she curled up and went to sleep.

Once the younger kids had eaten, they dashed off to go and play, while Ben remained at the table till I had finished my cup of tea, while Sarah cleared away the abandoned used dishes. “Can I show you my room?” Ben asked me, and I smiled and nodded my head. I stood up and followed him back in to the main hallway. “That’s the dry pantry, and storeroom on the right, Dad’s study opposite.

Samuel’s bedroom on the right and the library opposite, the family bathroom and then Belinda’s bedroom on the right, then my bedroom, bathroom and guest bedroom opposite, and Mum and Dad’s bathroom and bedroom at the front on the right, and family lounge opposite,” Ben said as we passed each room, which had all the doors closed, and he turned back to his room and opened the door.

It was quite a large bedroom, with a double bed, a desk and chair, and a bookcase full of novels. A large laminated map, of what looked like the station, was the main feature on the wall above the desk. There was no mess or clutter anywhere. Everything was very neat and tidy, as Ben closed the door.

Ben pulled out the office chair and motioned me to sit, and he sat on the bed, and stared at his feet for a long while. “I wanted to ask you some stuff. I hear the guys talking about girls and private stuff, but I don’t really understand it all, and I don’t want to ask, as I will get teased,” Ben eventually said to me.

“Oh boy, it’s the Birds and Bees talk,” I thought to myself. “Ok, mate. Tell me one thing at a time, and I will answer it as best and honestly as I can,” I replied seriously, and Ben gave a slight smile.

About an hour later I was feeling exhausted. “I hope I have helped you as best as possible. If you don’t mind, I need to take a little rest. I am fairly tired from all the travelling,” I said when there was a period of silence.

“Thanks, Anton. You have been a great help. I was too embarrassed to ask all those questions to my parents.”

“No problems, buddy. I will catch up with you at dinner time,” I said as I stood up. I held onto the back of the chair for a moment, as I felt a little dizzy. When the dizziness subsided, I opened the door and headed for the kitchen.

“Thanks for talking to him. He never seems to want to talk to us, even when we say that he can come to us to talk about anything,” Mrs Sanderson said as I entered. “That’s fine. I have had some practice with my brother Neale. I guess Jedd will need the talk soon too,” I groaned, and Mrs Sanderson gave a short laugh.

“A cup of tea?” she asked me, as I scooped up Roey, who had been asleep in the corner of the kitchen. “Later maybe. I need to have a rest. I’m worn out from all of today’s travelling,” I explained, and I headed to my vehicle.

Once I had opened the awning to provide some shade, I located some biscuits and water, and placed them in the bowl, and put it on the ground for her to have, while I opened the side of the canvas and rolled it up, to let some air in. Then I opened my swag before scooping up Roey.

We climbed into the swag and soon fell asleep. When Roey woke me up to be let down to go to the toilet, I lowered her to the ground without leaving the tray top. She wandered over to the toilet to do her business, then she drank some water, and laydown on a mat that I hadn’t seen before, and went back to sleep. I lay back and fell asleep too.

Next time I woke up it was to the sound of Roey growling. “What is it, Roey? Another big lizard?” I groaned, as I opened my eyes and rolled over so I could look down. I saw a snake approaching her. “Roey, get away from that snake,” I shouted in alarm, as I tried to get untangled from the swag.

Roey disappeared under the vehicle out of my sight. Before I knew it there was a loud “whack”. A big heavy stick came crashing down onto the back of the snake not far from the head. Twice more the stick came down hard until there was no movement.

It was then that I noticed that it was Mrs Sanderson who was holding the stick. “That is the one thing I hate about this place is these bloody poisonous snakes,” she said to me, as she picked it up by the tail. Then she grabbed it quickly around the neck with both hands, and snapped the neck of the snake to make double sure that it was dead. I cautiously climbed down from the vehicle, and gave a light whistle.

Instantly Roey appeared, and she growled at the now lifeless snake, took a few steps forward, barked at it, then jumped backwards again, till she reached my feet. “Brave little one, she is,” Mrs Sanderson commented, and I smiled as I leaned down and picked Roey up and patted her gently.

“That’s a good girl, Roey. Snakes are bad and dangerous. You stay away from them, you hear me,” I said to the pup, and she wagged her tail and licked my face. “What are you going to do with that?” I asked Mrs Sanderson, pointing to the snake. “You have something in mind?” she asked me with a small smile.