'PHILLY THE KID!'
'HEY, MATE! HOW YA' GOIN?'
'GOOD. HOW'S THE HUNTING?'
'YEA, YEA, GOOD MATE' 'HEY LISTEN, I NEED YOU OUGHT HERE, IF YOU WANNA HAVE A GO YOU OL' HO TEP.'
'HOW SOON?'
'HOW QUICK CAN YOU GET ON A PLANE TO WEE WAK?'
'WHERE THE FUCK IS WEWAK?'
'HA, HA, IT'S IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA MAN!'
HOLY SHIT, BUBBA THOUGHT TO HIMSELF
'WHAT'S THE GIG, MAN?'
'YEA, RIGHT, MAYBE NOT OVER THE PHONE, THERE BUBBA. I RAN INTO A LITTLE TROUBLES IN RABAUL, AND CARMEL NOW THAT I'M AT IT.'
'ROG. I'LL CALL THE AIRLINES AND LET YA, KNOW WHEN I'M LEAVING.'
'YEA, RIGHTY O', THE BOAT LEAVES IN A FEW DAYS MATE, SO KICK 'ER IN THE GUTS IF YA CAN/.'
'A FUCKING BOAT!? ALRIGHT, I'LL CHOP, CHOP GIRLFRIEND, AND GIVE YA A CALL BACK WITH AN ETA.'
YA, YA NO WORRIES, MATE. GIVES US A CALL WHEN YOUR SETTLED, AND I'LL SHOUT AT YA IN A FEW DAYS.'
RIGHT ON MAN, I'LL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT'
RIGHTY O, I'LL CATCH YA LATER, CHEERS
ROGIE' LATERS BUDDY
BUBBA ANOUNCED HIS NAKEDNESS TO THE EARLY MORNING RAIN AS THE SHEET FELL TO THE FLOOR IN AN ATTIC HE WAS STARTING TO CALL HOME IN LONG BEACH CA.
THE KETTLE BEGAN TO WHISTLE AS THE DEAL WAS MADE WITH THE AIRLINES, AND A CUP OF INSTANT WAS POURED. THE PACKING BEGAN. MOSTLY CARGO SHORTS AND SHORT SLEEVE WESTERN SHIRTS. THE REST WAS THE SURVIVAL GEAR HE'D CARRIED WITH HIM FOR THAT DAY WHEN IT WAS NEEDED. A COUPLE OF BOOKS ON AERODYNAMICS, AND THEORY, AND ONE FOR DANGEROUS BOY'S. HIS TRUSTY FIELD KNIFE HE LOVED SO DEARLY, LIKE A LOVER HIS KIT WAS, HE HAD BEEN A MARINE AND KNEW THE SCORE ON BEING PREPARED, AND KNEW HIS TRAINING WOULD COME TO TASK WHEN IT WOULD CALL.
'PHILY BOB THORTON'
HEY, SNAKEDOCTOR
HEY, MAN I'M BRISBANE/ PORT MORESBY. PORT MORESBY/MADANG. MADANG/WEWAK. I'LL SEE YA IN 48 HRS.
'YA, YA, RIGHTY O. HEY LISTEN, UH, BIT OF TROUBLES IN PORT MORESBY YESTERDAY, MATE. SEEMS A BUTCHER WENT TO TOWN.
WHAT DO YA MEAN. A MASSACRE?
YA, MATE THE AIRPORT GOT GUNNED DOWN. LOT'S A BLOOD SHED, MACHETE'S AND SUCH. NATIVE'S ARE A BIT RESTLESS IN THIS COUNTRY SO WATCH YOUR BACKSIDE MATE. AND BE SURE AND SLIP 'EM A TWENTY SPOT AT THEE OLD CUSTOMS THERE.
ROG, WILL DO, CATCH YA LATER.
BUBBA SHOOK HIS HEAD A LITTLE WITH HALF A SMILE AND LIT HIS FIRST SMOKE OF THE DAY....
Chapter 2
The Voyage
Chavez dropped Bubba off at LAX and they Man hugged a goodbye. Everyone had boarded The Quantas flight and there was an odd sense of quiet. Bubba started to look around as the stewardesses went about closing the upper head bins.
‘Excuse Me Miss?’
‘Yes how may I help You?’
‘I was wondering. Isn’t there a black stewardess on board?’ Bubba looked around as He’d popped the question.
‘Sir. I’m not sure I understand the question.’ Mean while the wave had begun and more and more of the passengers were turning their head toward the conversation, wondering where this was about to go.
‘Well, You always hear about these planes going down into the ocean.’ Bubba could feel the tension electrifying the air.
‘Sir, You’re starting to upset the other passengers.’
‘Well, all I’m saying is I noticed there wasn’t a black stewardess on board and I’m a little confused.’
‘Sir?!’
‘Ya see, the thing is, is that all I’ve ever heard is that the only thing that survives a wreck like that is that little black box. And I want to make sure I’m in that son of a bitch before she goes down.’
By now the whole section was in on the conversation, and everything went quiet. The stewardess looked as if she’d seen something she never should have in horror. It took a few seconds for it to settle in. the flight being full of mostly Ausie’s and Kiwi’s processed what was said and erupted into laughter. The stewardess still with a look of space and time walked away with a smile of embarrassment on her face. A face that Bubba found very delicious.
‘That was a good one mate!’ ‘A bit more choke and You would have had Her started!’
Bubba grinned as the slaps on the back and promises of rounds of drinks were given.
The flight took forever and 3 days to get to Australia. Bubba reccolected he’d been drunk twice and ate through a whole box of nicoretes. While wandering the isle’s asking if anyone smoked He was finally escorted back to his seat....
