Tip Rats

Part 8 - Warm Ups

Ned rose early and decided to head out and pick up a couple of newspapers to get him through 'til lunchtime. As he passed by the bus stop at the bottom end of Scarborough Street, Ned saw Ronald standing to attention by the curb. Ronald was clad from head to toe in bottle green aside from his black work boots, his thumbs hooked inside the straps of his backpack. Ned walked over and stood beside him.

'G'day Ronald.'

'Hello.' Ronald's reply was monotone and unenthusiastic.

'You off to work?'

'Yeah.'

'I noticed you've been pretty busy out the back mate.'

'Yeah.'

'What are you building?'

'Time machine' Ronald replied, maintaining his focus on the approaching traffic, waiting to spot the bus.

This unexpected answer brought a smile to Ned's face, 'Wow, that's pretty cool mate'.

'Yeah, it's fucken sick' replied Ronald, who had started to lean out over the curb, having spotted the Bulwarra Bay bus slowing towards the stop.

'Where are ya headed?'

'The tip'

'You working there?'

Ronald peered past the advertising hoarding on the side of the bus stop 'Yep'.

'Righto, well I'll see you later then Ronald.'

'Ok' said Ronald, as he stood flagging down the bus like he was bringing in a jumbo jet.

*

It had been a quiet afternoon, Ned stood in the kitchen watching Ronald through the window. He'd been working on his time machine for an hour or so since he got back from the tip. From the front of the house Ned heard Big Jake's van pull into the driveway, followed by Jodie shrieking orders at both Jakes. The sound of the front door handle turning and the rustling of plastic shopping bags was followed by two dull thuds.

'...and close the door behind you Jake', directed Jodie, as she shuffled through the front door towards the kitchen. 'I'm getting that bloody dog put down Ned!' she announced, as she dumped two bags of groceries on the kitchen floor.

'What?' Replied Ned, confused by the seemingly out of the blue statement.

'Rooster, the little shit, he dragged a great big, dead fucking possum in here this morning. The thing was soaking wet and rotten, it was fucking disgusting.'

'What the fuck are you wearing? You off to pick up some old ducks down at the bingo?' asked Big Jake, as he strode into the kitchen with the rest of the shopping. It was Saturday afternoon and Ned was dressed for the costume party.

'Yeah mate, desperate times...' Big Jake let out a little chuckle. 'I'm off to a twenty-first at the bottom pub, this is my costume.'

'Jake, tell Ned about that fucking thing Rooster brought in this morning,' demanded Jodie.

Jake began laughing uproariously, 'He was so proud, mate. Sitting there with this big bloody possum in the middle of the lounge room, you should have seen him. Jodie gave him a kicking, he couldn't believe it. But mate, the thing was that fucken rotten. All the skin was eaten off its head, and it was stiff and bloated. I saw it floating in the creek a few days ago.' Jake shook with silent laughter, 'Ah...Rooster' he exhaled, as he wiped a tear from his eye.

'It's not funny Jake, I'm taking him to get put down.'

'C'mon Jodie, he's already ancient' Ned insisted, 'he'll take himself under the house soon enough.'