Choas

Southern Boy

In the round yard Dan is brushing down a buckskin gelding while Darcy is sitting on the fence observing Dan. I join him on the fence. We are both silent, before it gets to awkward I say.

'He's a beauty, what's his name?'

'Chaos,' he replies with a heavy southern American accent.

I look at him with a raised eyebrow.

'It's the name he came with, we thought we'd better keep it the same.' I try to stop myself from giggling at his accent.

'Chaos, what a name. He's beautiful though. Where did you get him?'

'I don't really know. I haven't been here that long. Flew in from America a fortnight ago, still learning the ropes.' He says with a smile.

'Oh, well it's nice to meet you, Darcy?' I ask him, he nods and I shake his hand, 'so your a southern boy?'

He laughs and smiles at me.

'Yea, I guess I am,'

'Oi, Darcy, grab the bridal will ya?' Dan yells.

Darcy jumps off the fence and takes the gear to Dan.

After about another 30 minutes of Dan explaining to Darcy what he is doing with the gelding and why he responds in certain ways, I get bored and wander off.

I decide to go and help Axel and Nate with the sheep, knowing them by this time they will have sheep scattered from one end of the joint to the next.

I walk towards the maintenance shed to find my dads old bike, I grab my helmet off the shelf as I walk in. Surprisingly still in the same place i left it 3 1/2 years ago, covered in dust i pull it over my head to make sure it still fits. I pull it off as I walk deeper into the shed, lights and sparks from a welder bounce off the walls and make a blue glow about the place.

I keep walking to the back and can't seem to find my dad's bike anywhere.

I turn to the person welding.

'Um, excuse me?' No response. I ask louder 'excuse me!?' The person welding stops looks at my and lifts their mask.

It takes me a moment to recognise the hard blue eyes looking at me annoyed, it's Ash.

'Hello, Ash. I was wondering if you have seen my bike anywhere?'

'Oh the Yamaha piece of junk?'

'Yes the Yamaha piece of junk.' I reply slightly ticked off at the tone he used to talk about my dads motorbike.

'Well it was just about stuffed so I was going to throw it out...'

'WHAT? You threw it out?'

'No, I said I was going to, Dan stopped me and said it was your Dads and that he was saving it for you for when you turned 16. So I fixed it up, it's in the office.' He eyes are hard and bored.

I return his stare.

Just before it gets to intense I mumble a thank you and head towards the office.

I can't believe my eyes, it looks brand new.

I wheel it back through the work shop and back past Ash who is busy on the welder again.

My helmet slips on with ease, I kick start the bike feeling the engine roar to life underneath me. I smile as I kick it into first then second then third and buzz up the road towards the stock yards.

When i get there Axel and Nate are in the middle of a heated argument and there is sheep everywhere. I laugh, typical Axel and Nate. I park my bike near the race and pull off my helmet.

Where to begin? As I walk over I whistle really loud to shut them up.

'What are you doing hear,' Nate says heatedly obviously trying to pick a fight with me too.

'Well I've come to help, but I see you've got it all sorted,' I reply sarcastically.

'Very funny, where do you think we should start? This is the first time Owen has let us do it by ourselves.' Axel explains. He looks slightly amused at the mock shocked expression on my face.

'Well lets start by getting them in the top paddock, then we will draft off group by group in the sorting yards and we will go from there.' I say systematically, 'You know what?'

'What?' They ask at the same time.

'This is just 'chaos'!' I say putting emphasis on chaos. They both laugh.

'So you've met the new gelding then?' Nate asks with a smile.