As we stumbled out of the pub, there weren’t many of the guys left.
“Wow, where did everyone go?” I asked scanning around
“We’re always the last ones standing” Maxi laughed, immensely proud of the fact.
“How are you getting home?” Whippet asked me.
“Erm, I dunno. I was gonna call a taxi I think. Anybody need dropping anywhere? I’m going back to Campbell Parade” I replied.
“You were gonna what??” Whippet laughed “Seriously it’s not that far. We’ll walk you back”
“I know but I’m in heels” I whined. I hated sounding like such a girl but standing in heels all night was fine, walking home in same heels - not so fine.
“Hang on a minute” Maxi said and ran off somewhere round the corner. I presumed he was going somewhere to pee. A couple of minutes later he came back – pushing a shopping trolley.
“Here, your chariot awaits”
“Oh my god, no. No way am I getting in THAT!!! And with you guys pushing me. Disaster” I said
He looked a bit wounded that I’d shot down his brilliant idea.
“I’ll get in then” he said “Push me Whip” and in he got.
Whippet ran off as fast as he could while Maxi was laughing his head off
“It’s gonna end in tears” I said to Matt as we set off walking behind them.
Matt, surprisingly enough, could actually hold quite a decent conversation even in the state he was in. We chatted away while watching Maxi & Whippet up ahead of us. It wasn’t long until the boys hit a bump in the road and the trolley went over. Maxi fell over and Whippet fell over the top. It was one big pile of lifeguard limbs. Both guys were laughing and were now laid out on the pavement so we knew they weren’t hurt. As we got to where they were I held out my hand to pull Maxi up from the floor.
“See now you see why I didn’t wanna get in?”
Matt picked the trolley up and I decided to take my shoes off and walk barefoot for a while. The pavement was cold but as my feet were hurting so much I didn’t even notice.
Matt was pushing the empty trolley along the road, Maxi & Whippet were walking along the side. I think their fall had sobered them up a little as they were quite well-behaved now. They chatted about surfing and sports mainly; they shot me a couple of questions to make me feel included.
It suddenly hit me that I was walking through Bondi late at night with 3 guys that I didn’t know.
Although saying that, I felt strangely at ease with them. Now I’m sure that’s also how serial killer victims feel before they get snatched but I actually trusted these guys. They just exuded a feeling of safety –somehow I just knew I would be safe in their company. We walked through a small park area with a kids play area and a few trees. As we passed the kids slide Maxi ran over, climbed up and slid down. He ran round again and did it again but this time head first – he got stuck half way down as his hoodie got caught. He’s hilarious and I was laughing so hard I couldn’t help him. Whippet giggled away while pulling out his phone “this is sooo going on Insti” he chuckled.
Maxi then started playing up to the camera, flailing around, pulling faces – all the while being upside down on a kiddies slide. At this point I was laughing so hard my legs gave way and I had to sit down on a nearby bench. I eventually gathered my composure enough to try to free Maxi from his predicament. Whippet was still happily snapping away from all angles. I tugged at Maxi’s hoodie and down he dropped.
Whippet sensing an imminent pounding took off running waving his phone around – clearly for use in blackmail at some point in the future. Maxi was no match for him; seriously the guy’s nickname is Whippet?? Matt joined in and they were passing the phone between them. They ran off into the distance until I couldn’t see them anymore. I walked at a brisk pace behind them, pushing the trolley they’d left behind. I wasn’t sure why. I didn’t want them to leave me behind but I had no chance of keeping up with them.
I got to an area of the pathway which was shouldered by trees on both sides and grew slightly concerned that my bodyguards had now left me. Just then out jumps Maxi from behind a bush. Instinctively I kicked out and managed to wallop him right on the hip bone – he dropped to the floor and rolled around. In agony from the dead leg I’ve just expertly delivered.
“Oh no I’m sorry” I panicked “I didn’t know it was you. I err I didn’t mean to...” I crouched down at the side of him not really knowing what to do.
Whippet peeked out from a bush he was hiding behind on the other side and instantly giggled. “What the hell did you do to him?” he said.
“I couldn’t help it – I, I just reacted” I stammer
“Good reaction” Whippet laughed “at least we know you can handle yourself”
He knelt down beside me and gave Maxi a clip round the head “Get up you wuss”
We carried on walking through the park and out onto a residential street.
“Ouch!!!!” I squealed hopping round and grabbing my foot.
I’d stood on a sharp stone. I leaned on Whippet to steady myself.
“What’s the matter? Are you ok?” He asked
“Noooooo, owwww. It hurts” I moaned. It had broken the skin a little on the bottom of my foot and was bleeding slightly. Whippet helped me hop over to a wall nearby and held up my foot to inspect my wound. It wasn’t a major cut but it hurt and my foot was throbbing.
“Ahh you’ll be ok. We won’t have to amputate it or anything, but it’ll need cleaning up a bit” he said smiling. My feet were probably filthy by now; I hadn’t banked on my feet being looked at that closely by anyone. I pulled some tissues from my bag and passed them to Whippet.
“We need some water to wash all this muck off” he said. I felt really embarrassed.
“I’m sorry” I said “It’s because I was walking with my shoes off.”
“ha ha no I didn’t mean it like that” He laughed “We just need to wash the wound and make sure there’s no bits in it”
Again Maxi ran off and into a nearby garden, Whippet opened the pack of tissues, pulled one out and handed the rest to Matt, who was now sat on the floor at the side of me.
Maxi came back with what looked like a pop bottle in his hand. “I’ve got some water” he said. He’d found an empty pop bottle and then gone into someone’s garden washed it out and filled it from their pool.
“Clever boy” Whippet said looking impressed.
“Oh my god Maxi, Can I just say if I ever get marooned anywhere I want to have you with me. Were you in the scouts or something?” I joked.
Whippet poured some of the water onto my foot and started wiping around the cut. He was gentle and had clearly had lots of practise cleaning wounds. I tried to stand up but as the cut was on the bottom of my foot and was still an open wound, it hurt to put any weight on it. Maxi picked me up and put me in the shopping trolley.
“Be careful with me” I protested “I’m fragile you know, I’m not like you guys. I break very easily”, Matt decided he was the best trolley driver and promised to go slowly. I was “delivered” to my apartment building by the 3 strapping lifeguards. Whippet and Maxi helped me hobble inside. There was a new doorman at the desk, I hadn’t met him but he didn’t seem too concerned when I limped past him and said Hi. I made a mental note I didn’t like him. The guys escorted me to the lift and I told them I’d be fine from there.
“Thanks guys, I’ve had an awesome night. In spite of another injury” I laughed as I stepped inside the lift and waved goodbye.
