Page 20 of Andrew’s Outback Love

I explained what had transpired with Ally over at Barrawon Station and assured her, that as of last night, everything appeared to be fine. She would be back in Dubbo, hopefully in bed when we got back there later tomorrow morning. Ruby had decided to go ahead and accompany us, despite the fact there would be no farewell. I think she wanted to see for herself that her friend was okay.

The conversation then turned to Linda and Marge asked numerous questions with Rex asking a couple himself. She answered them all without hesitation and I learnt a little more about her myself. We finished eating and a pot of coffee was passed around. While we sat back enjoying the brew, Linda asked her own series of questions.

“How long have you lived out here, Marge?”

She glanced over to Rex. “Rex was born and raised here. His parents died a few years ago. I grew up on a station about thirty miles from here. We met at a Friday night dance in town about twenty-eight years ago, married a couple of years later and I’ve been here ever since. We lived in the building where your clinic is held until six years ago when Rex’s parents passed away. His mother died from cancer and his father died from a bad dose of the flu.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Thank you.”

“When did you team up with Drew and the RFDS?”

“Around a year ago. Drew, and Harvey – the director of the RFDS in Dubbo, called a meeting at the town hall and explained what Drew wanted to do. He said he could run the clinics from town, but he felt if a couple of landowners were willing to allow him the use of their property for two days, including overnight every second week, he’d be able to access more of the indigenous community. Most of them would not travel into town so their suffering would continue otherwise. We asked a lot of questions, what we would be required to do and so on. We had our old home sitting empty so, after listening to everything the men had to say, we offered the use of it to them. They offered to reimburse us for power, lunch, etc. but we refused. It’s our way of doing our bit for the local community.”

“We’re very grateful to you both,” I said.

Tarara functioned differently to Barrawon as it was further from town. I did the post-op consultations the day after surgery before heading back to Dubbo. The RFDS brought a doctor in one day a week to take care of the community’s general health and he also worked out of the small building. Of course, in an emergency, the flying doctor was always available. What was offered out here wasn’t perfect, but by working together, we were able to improve the health of the indigenous community. It was heartening to know these beautiful people weren’t ignored because of their isolation.

I finished my coffee and pushed back the chair. “Time we got started.”

Ruby and Linda stood while Cam remained seated. He wasn’t required for another hour, not until I’d scheduled the patients for our next surgery in two weeks’ time. He would then examine them and write up their requirements regarding the anesthetic. In the meantime, he’d stay and chat with our hosts. We’d all catch up again over dinner.

***

I WAS WRITING UP THE notes on our final patient, the ladies were cleaning up and Cam was in another office where he saw the patients scheduled for surgery when a blood-curdling scream filled the air. The nurses and I fled the room and almost collided with Cam at the front door. I caught sight of Marge and Rex racing towards us from the house. We rounded the building and headed for the river where the screaming was coming from.

The family of a six-year-old boy I’d seen earlier - Jarli, were running up and down the bank of the river, shouting frantically for him. The mother was refusing to be consoled by a couple of other women. She was hysterical and screaming at the top of her lungs.

“I’ll get a sedative.” Cam turned and raced back towards his office.

Linda rushed to the distressed woman and gently grabbed her arms to gain her attention. The woman appeared to look straight through my nurse and fought for her freedom. Linda spoke gently, Ruby stepped to her side and the woman started to calm. The screaming turned to heart wrenching sobbing and Linda managed to pull the young lady into her arms. Content my nurses had everything under control, I took off down the bank to the river’s edge where I found Rex speaking with one of the men. When I glanced down the river, I noted five or six indigenous men walking the bank, obviously searching for the little boy.

Rex acknowledged me when I neared and explained what had happened while the man he’d been speaking to joined the other men in their frantic search.

“Apparently, Jarli took off when his mum was changing his little sister’s nappy. He’d asked to go swimming and his mother told him he’d have to wait. When Marindah finished with the baby and called for Jarli, he didn’t answer. His mother realised he’d disobeyed and gone to the river by himself so she went looking for him. She saw him being swept down river and started screaming.”

“Fuck! What are the chances of him being found?”

Rex shook his head as Linda and Ruby came to my side.

“How’s the mother?” I asked.

“Marge spoke with her and she gave permission for Cam to give her a sedative. They’re both with her now, they’re going to take her up to the house,” Linda answered.

“Is he in the river?” Ruby asked.

“Yeah, the mother saw him being swept away.”

“Shit. Did she say if he could swim?”

Rex nodded. “His father said he’s a strong swimmer and he knows to go with the current and head for the bank.”

“Do you think he’ll be okay?” Linda asked the question we all wanted the answer to.

Rex and I headed for the men along the bank, they were about two hundred metres downstream now, while the ladies returned to the house. The light would hold for another couple of hours. I hoped the planets would align and Jarli would manage to get to the bank and survive his ordeal.

CHAPTER NINE