Alice had never gone in much for rodeos. Her love of animals and aversion to loud raucous noise took away from the excitement of the spectacle. Rather than admiring the amazing skill of the riders in the sandy ring, Alice became transfixed on the provoked bull or terrified horse trying to dislodge the predator it believed to be attacking it. So she wasn’t absolutely sure why she offered to drive Jeremy to a local event.
Alice knew that for a few years now, ‘King Jed’ had been the most renowned bullfighter in the region, and was highly sought after by all the rodeo committees of remote central and western Queensland. At one time, his popularity had risen to such a height he’d become one of the main drawcards at various events. But since starting at Redstone, it seemed that Jeremy’s priorities had changed a little and he had only clowned at a handful of closer rodeos. Also, now that he’d been deprived of his driver’s licence, it appeared that many more rodeo-goers were set to suffer the disappointment of the absence of King Jed. Alice knew that her grandmother saw this as a positive development, and the older woman didn’t hesitate to tell Jeremy so. They were discussing the approaching local rodeo one afternoon smoko.
‘It’s about time you grew up and stopped taking part in that ridiculously dangerous caper,’ Olive stated.
‘I’m here for a good time, not a long time, Mrs Day,’ Jeremy retorted.
‘None of us are really here for a long time,’ Sam observed quietly to himself.
Jeremy explained that he’d been booked up for this particular rodeo for many months and, as he put it, a man had to stick to his word. Alice also suspected he’d been secretly hankering after the adrenaline buzz and ego boost that he derived from his combat with the fiery beasts and the adoration of the rodeo crowds. So she offered to be his driver for the occasion. She’d given it some thought and decided that it was the least she could do for Jeremy, after all he’d done for her family and for Redstone.
So one sunny winter Saturday, Alice found herself on the rodeo scene. She’d always felt out of place with this crowd: she didn’t possess the necessary look, walk or talk. She seated herself high up on a rail with a bunch of leggy sunburnt kids and listened to their running commentary with a half-smile on her face.
The first two bulls, Black Jack and Executioner, came and went, their riders failing to cling on for the necessary eight seconds. The two rodeo clowns hovered around the sheltering barrel in the middle of the ring and attempted a few token tricks. But once rid of their riders, the bulls hung on the fence without much fight left in them. There were a few lethargic cheers, and a faint spattering of applause. A disgruntled murmur rippled through the crowd at the lack of action. Rodeo audiences could be ruthless. Luckily it was time for the two new clowns.
The third bull, Red Weapon, put on a better show with his rider, a twelve-time champion. When the gate rope was pulled he exploded out of the chute, the cowbell clamouring wildly on the leather kicker under his belly. Red Weapon was a grotesque cross-bred scrubber; he must have been newly brought in from someone’s back country and saved from the meatworks for this special purpose. He had a corkscrewing motion, deadly to ride out. Sudden turns and spins added sting to his repertoire. The kicker flew off after the first few bucks but that didn’t pacify him. The rider lasted an admirable six seconds before he was flung off to the side, landing heavily and much too close to the whirling back end of the Weapon. The enraged bull swung around to attack.
Enter King Jed. The crowd burst into applause at the sight of their favourite. He was dressed in a proper clown suit, excepting his footwear, which was spiked football boots to give him purchase on the sandy ground. He had an orange curly wig and thick face paint. In one hand was a ridiculous glittering walking cane, and tied to the wrist of the other were two neon yellow pompoms which his arm movements sent bouncing every which way.
With a high-stepping run he approached the bull from the opposite side to the unseated hero and poked him hard in the ribs with the glittering cane. Instantly the bull snapped around to face this new attacker, but was blinded by the pair of huge fluffy pompoms. Snorting into them, he lowered his head and charged. He headed in a straight line away from the rider in the sand, and past Jed’s outstretched arm. The other rodeo clown rushed to guard the fallen rider.
Jed cartwheeled then to another part of the ring, where he performed a quick somersault and righted himself, shaking the pompoms and whooping to attract the bull’s attention. The bull spun to face him again, gathering his muscles for another charge. Jed turned, dropped his braces, pulled his baggy pants down and bent over, flashing an outrageous pair of stripy bloomers and looking between his legs at the bull. The crowd showed their raucous appreciation. Meanwhile, two more men rushed to the fallen rider and dragged him away.
Jed straightened up, hooked up his braces again and jogged on the spot while the bull ran at him. He waited until it looked as though the bull would surely knock him down; then, at the last possible moment, he dodged to the side, sending the bull careering into the rail. Alice gasped along with the rest of the crowd, before everyone applauded madly. Crazy now with the pain and confusion, the unfortunate animal swung around again and took a few moments to locate the clown.
Jed was taking an exaggerated circular walk around his hand, which was leaning on the glitter cane planted in the sand. His other hand was on his hip, the pompoms bobbing erratically. The crowd roared with amusement and the bull bellowed and charged again. This time, Jeremy had lined himself up with the gate and was through it like a shot, the bull on his heels. Once through, he leapt the side rail and the bull disappeared from view into the adjoining yard. There was an explosion of applause and several cries of ‘King Jed!’
Alice felt quite awed at the sight of Jeremy’s familiar form in this different persona. She was stunned by the easy talent and athletic grace that shone through the ridiculous capering act. She clapped as loudly as anyone.
More bulls came and went, and Alice’s eyes, like those of everyone else, anxiously followed Jed. He became funnier and more reckless with each one, endlessly taunting and dodging. Alice had never seen a bullfighter with less regard for his own safety, or more willing to risk his neck simply for the pleasure of the crowd.
At one point, her heart was in her mouth when a rider who had been bucked loose was still caught by his hand in the strap. His body flopped around dangerously, dangling to one side of the bull while his running feet tried to reach the ground. Jed dived into the whirlpool and somehow released the strap so that he and the rider were flung free. He rolled dramatically, over and over in the sand, seeing that the bull had moved to a safe distance to wait.
At that, a hysterical Brandi initiated a screaming Mexican Wave. It was enthusiastically taken up, and travelled noisily around the ring of spectators. This spurred the bull into action again and he careered around the fence. Twice Jed narrowly dodged a charge, pausing only to blow an exaggerated kiss up at Alice with his horrible red mouth.
The kids beside her, who had previously given no sign that they were even aware of her existence, now looked at her in sudden wonder and admiration. Feeling slightly dizzy, she clasped the rail tighter and tried to subdue the heady emotions she was experiencing. Surely it was just the buzzing atmosphere that was getting to her. And she was certain that it could only be pride that she was feeling for her workmate.
The bulls were followed by the bronco riding. Exhausted from the suspense, and not overly keen on seeing the horses perform, Alice climbed down. She wandered a little distance away from the ring and crowds, towards a clump of trees at the edge of the rodeo grounds. She looked back curiously, viewing the scene from afar and musing over the strange activities of human beings.
She hadn’t been there long when Brandi and three companions that Alice didn’t recognise appeared. Brandi, obviously tipsy, greeted Alice like a long-lost friend, throwing her arms around her and lurching with all her weight onto Alice’s slight frame. She righted herself and stepped back when she felt Alice’s resistance to the hug.
‘Frigid little thing, isn’t she? Murris aren’t usually so picky.’
The three others giggled. Alice felt the familiar sinking sensation of her high school days. She prepared herself for what she knew was coming.
‘Don’t look so sour, Alice, we just came over to ask you to come and sit with us. You look like such a loner. I’ll even buy you a drink.’ Glancing at the others, who were laughing again and leaning all over each other, Brandi added, ‘Yes, I swear I will!’
Alice smiled benignly. ‘Thanks, Brandi, but I’m perfectly happy here. I actually came to get away from the noise.’
‘Oh my God, would you listen to the girl?’ It was a meaningless comment but the gigglers were more than satisfied. ‘I even said I’d buy you a drink!’
‘I’m driving home after this and I’m not a big drinker, but thanks anyway,’ Alice answered politely.
Brandi’s mouth fell open in mock horror. ‘An Abo who doesn’t drink? I never met one like that before.’ The girls were nearly wetting themselves now.
‘Maybe that has more to do with where you meet them, Brandi,’ Alice observed quietly.
This really provoked the busty blonde. Brandi’s smile disappeared and she lurched at Alice again, pointing her drink can at the tranquil face. ‘This black slurry’s really up herself.’ She spluttered the words, and Alice felt droplets of rum-laced saliva spray her face. ‘You think just because you got Jeddy by the short and curlies that it makes you worth something? Do you really think he’s interested in you? He’s just ginning around with you for a bit of variety.’ Brandi glanced proudly at her friends to see whether they appreciated her cleverness. ‘Look at her!’ she continued. ‘She’s so thick, she can’t even understand what I’m saying!’
Alice was looking over Brandi’s shoulder at Jeremy, who had removed his costume and was walking towards them, now dressed in his normal clothes. She looked back at Brandi and explained, ‘I understand your meaning perfectly, Brandi. I’m not overly concerned, though. You seem to think your opinion is of some significance to me. In that you’re quite mistaken.’
Brandi gaped like a fish. ‘Did you hear her? Significant! Mistaken! Who in hell talks like that? Who the hell taught a Murri to talk like that?’
‘Jane Austen,’ said Alice, saying the first thing that popped into her head.
Brandi was nonplussed. But by now she’d spotted Jeremy approaching, so she reduced her volume and her tone became more conversational. ‘Jane who?’
‘Jane Austen,’ Alice repeated.
Jeremy was within earshot now and his face broke into a surprised smirk at what he assumed was their topic of conversation. ‘G’day, all. Talking about Jane Austen? Moving up in the world, are we, Brand?’
Brandi looked baffled. ‘Is she that posh chick from Willow Tree?’ she asked uncertainly.
‘No, she’s not from around here,’ Alice said quite seriously.
‘Thank Christ for that, she sounds like a stuck-up cow,’ Brandi concluded.
Jeremy exploded with laughter and slapped Brandi on the back. The blonde was elated. Her friends were laughing too. She glared triumphantly at Alice, but she had already turned to go.
The confrontation over, the tipsy girls meandered away to the covered pavilion with Jeremy. Alice had declined his invitation to join them and instead sat down on an upturned drum to take off her boot and straighten out an annoying fold in her sock. She found that Brandi’s attack hadn’t really upset her as it would have done when she was younger. She smiled to herself about Jane Austen – ‘that posh chick from Willow Tree’ – and listened to the dull roar of music and voices coming from the pavilion.
Troy looked up from his beer to see Alice Wilson wandering reluctantly into the babbling throng. Her eyes met his and her face flooded with relief on sight of him. As she approached, he jumped up and pulled a plastic chair over to where he and Mushgang were sitting.
Troy hadn’t seen Alice since he’d returned from the mines. And although he thought about her often, he really hadn’t had much to do with her for years now. But the two of them had spent many hours together as children when Mushgang had been working with Sam on Redstone. Those times were some of Troy’s happiest memories.
The youngest of Mushgang’s children, Troy had been a surprise to his parents, conceived when all his siblings were in high school. He was very close to Mushgang, who often told him that he was the only one of his children who would ever amount to anything. This always made Troy laugh, as his brothers and sisters had all made successful careers in the city, while he was just a messer with horses.
Troy had been a quiet, passive child who’d had a strong affinity with animals even as a toddler. To outsiders his life had apparently been settled and stable, without any major hiccough. But he took small things to heart and was often a victim of his own deep emotions. Now he grinned to himself, recollecting the time when as children he and Alice had been so upset over a dead kingfisher they’d found; together they had performed an elaborate funeral for the little bird.
Alice sat down and smiled her smile at him. She certainly wasn’t any less beautiful. He had so much he wanted to tell her, so much to say, but Alice was seeking tidings of the Arabian filly who had dumped his dad in the dirt. Troy had been so busy working horses for other people that he’d had little time to spend with the mad horse.
‘I don’t think she’s gonna come good,’ he said quietly to Alice. ‘Hate giving up on a horse like that but I reckon I’d be wasting my time.’
‘Will you let me have her then?’ Alice asked eagerly. Troy frowned and glanced at his dad. Alice looked at the older man too. ‘Mushgang, please?’ She spoke imploringly.
‘Struth, Alice, those bloody eyes of yours are hard to refuse. But Sam would never forgive me if that filly hurt you.’
‘Please, just let me try. I’ll deal with Pa. It’ll be on my own head.’
‘Yeah, that’s what I’m worried about,’ Mushgang laughed.
Alice laughed too. ‘I promise, if I don’t make any progress, I’ll get rid of her.’
Mushgang tore open a packet of peanuts, looking thoughtful.
Troy noticed Alice watching Jed O’Donnell. He wondered if the rumours were true. Somehow he couldn’t picture Alice with a loud bloke like that. He followed her gaze. Jed was sitting not far away, surrounded by all manner of females. They had jostled to buy him drinks and drape parts of their bodies over him. It looked like Troy’s worst nightmare.
Apparently enjoying himself, Jed looked across and winked at Alice. She smiled but then turned back to Troy; to his relief, she didn’t appear to give Jed another thought. They continued to talk about handling touchy horses.
Nothing had changed. He still felt the same way about Alice and he couldn’t imagine wanting anyone else.
At eight o’clock Alice felt a tug on her plait and turned to see Jeremy standing beside her. ‘Ready to go?’ he said. It was much earlier than she’d expected he’d want to leave. Some of the girls had followed him and clung to him stupidly, lamenting his intention to go.
‘Settle down, ladies,’ Jeremy said. ‘There are plenty more fish in the sea. What about young Troy here?’
The shy eighteen-year-old looked terrified and braced himself to make a quick getaway. But the simpering girls had eyes only for Jed. Without further ado, Alice stood up and farewelled Mushgang and Troy.
‘I’ll ring you about it tomorrow, Ali,’ Troy called as she and Jeremy left.
The caterwauling procession trailed behind them, and Alice walked briskly ahead to the car park, freedom in sight. She waited patiently in the driver’s seat for the girls to make their repeated farewells, lavishing Jed with hugs and kisses. At last he broke free and leapt into the ute, quickly slamming the door shut.
‘Start her up, Alice,’ he ordered cheerfully, and he blew a kiss through the protection of the wound-up window.
They drove in silence for several minutes, Alice concentrating on the road as she was unaccustomed to night driving. Suddenly she became aware that Jeremy was studying her profile in the darkness. She turned and smiled at him quickly, before looking back to the road.
‘So did you have a blast?’ he asked her doubtfully.
‘It was very interesting,’ Alice answered, nodding the affirmative.
‘Interesting? Never heard that used to describe a rodeo before. That could mean bloody anything.’
‘Your girlfriend doesn’t like the way I talk much either,’ observed Alice.
Jeremy chuckled at the memory, then became serious. ‘Hey, they weren’t giving you a hard time before I got there, were they?’
‘Not particularly. Nothing out of the ordinary. But they do seem to think that you and I are . . . you know.’
‘No, I don’t reckon I get your drift. You better explain.’ He turned his body in the seat and looked at her expectantly. She laughed and shook her head, keeping her eyes on the road.
After another short silence Alice noticed that Jeremy had slumped tiredly in his seat. The euphoria of the rodeo ring had clearly worn off at last.
‘You were really amazing today, Jeremy,’ Alice said. ‘I’m not a rodeo expert, but I’ve never seen anything even close to what you do out there.’
Jeremy sat bolt upright again, his face shining like a chuffed schoolboy. ‘Crikey, Ali, you reckon? Ta.’
‘I can see why they wanted you to come so badly. You’re the star attraction.’
‘Now you’re dribbling.’ He shifted uncomfortably in his seat and looked out of the window into the blackness.
They drove on, Alice enjoying Jeremy’s silent companionship after the din of the rowdy gathering. Then he spoke again. ‘Looked like you were having a good old chinwag with Troy Boy back there.’
‘Yes, I’m glad he came.’
‘He’s a couple of years younger than you, isn’t he?’
‘Six months younger. He’s eighteen.’
There was another short pause while they both thought about Troy.
‘What’re you mulling over?’ Jeremy asked suspiciously. ‘About your secret talk with Troy Boy?’
Alice laughed. ‘I’m surprised you even had a chance to notice what anyone else was doing.’
‘Well, I was a bit worried about you. Thought you might be having a shocker of a time. Didn’t take very good care of you, did I?’ Jeremy looked at her apologetically.
Alice glanced at him in surprise. ‘I’m a big girl now, I wasn’t expecting you to look after me. Anyway, I could see that you were otherwise engaged.’
‘Oh . . . righto.’ Jeremy sounded strangely disappointed.
The Redstone veranda was lit up like a Christmas tree when they pulled in to the shed. Jeremy jumped out while the ute was still moving, so that he could rush around to open the driver’s door for Alice. He bowed low as she stepped out past him into the chilly air. She pushed him lightly with her fist and started for the space between the shed wall and the front of the ute, but he grabbed her hand. She turned to look up at him.
‘Thanks a million for coming, Alice. I was really stoked about having you there today.’
He gave her a quick hard embrace and she winced at the medley of women’s scents that were still lingering on him. Then he held her loosely against him for a moment longer, their breath making clouds of vapour.
‘Alice! Come in out of the cold!’ It was Olive on the veranda, peering out suspiciously into the darkness towards the shed.
Jeremy called back brightly, ‘Hang on a tick, Mrs Day, we’re just getting up to no good here. We’ll be finished shortly.’
They could see the old woman’s silhouette stiffen as she leaned forwards and peered harder.
Alice was feeling tired after the two hour-long drive. How easy it would be to rest her cheek against Jeremy’s warm chest, and wrap her arms around him as his were around her. But after the feelings she’d experienced that day, watching him in the ring, she wasn’t game. She suddenly felt that she was venturing into dangerous territory.
‘Night, King Jed.’ She gently pulled free of his embrace and walked away. At the gate she paused to look back at him still standing at the shed, barely lit by the glow from the veranda, and gave him a little wave. Then she disappeared into the house with her grandmother.