Season of Hate by Michael Costello Read Free Book Online Page A

Symonds stated matter-of-factly.
    "You know what I fuckin' mean."
    "I just don't see them as a problem Bob, is all," sighed Mr Symonds, adding, "I mean they've closed down the Reserve. Where are they s'posed to go? I mean, we're responsible, we white folk. We put them there in the first place."
    "For their own good. Well now they can bloody well go back to the bush and live off the land. Won't fuckin' hurt 'em."
    "Hey Bob, watch the language, there's kids –" interjected Mr Green. Mr Wood continued,
    "They've been doin' it for centuries anyways. And leave us honest folk in peace," a heated Mr Wood ended, backed up by a loud "yeah", from his son Steve, who'd been sneaking sips of beer from one of his dad's bottles throughout the night.
    "Exactly. They're filthy. I won't have 'em smelling up my store and driving customers away. I'm a Christian man and I know they're not all bad, but that's only a few. I'll serve 'em if they've got money – at the door," added Mr Green. Dad had been listening but looked like he'd heard enough and was about to leave, when Mr Green called out to him,
    "Doctor, I mean Harry, you're an ed'jucated man, what do you think?"
    "I agree." Mr Symonds looked at him in amazement. "They are filthy. And they smell. It's disgraceful."
    "See, even the doctor agrees," assured Mr Green, jumping in.
    "You'd smell too if you couldn't wash because your water had been turned off, because your toilet and shower had been boarded up, hoping you'd move on. Let alone having any soap – or food. Their conditions are a shame – on all of us," Dad argued.
    "Sergeant Farrar had his orders," Bob Wood declared, taking a wide stance.
    "You better leave, this could get heated," Dad suggested to me while Mr Wood staggered right up close to him and pointed his finger in his face.
    "No, I'm stayin' with you," I insisted, to Dad's surprise. He paused, then continued,
    "I'm fully aware of Sergeant Farrar's orders. We should, however, as human beings, ask ourselves how following orders takes precedence over the observance of moral decency. Giving them proper housing is the least we can do." Mr Wood looked confused at first over the words Dad used and then a bit self-conscious of his ignorance I guess, in front of the other men.
    "We don't have to ask ourselves nothin'," Mr Wood began. "You haven't had to go through fuckin' half what we have with droughts and debts and… Only to have them fuckin' Abos come along and pinch yer remainin' stock. Let 'em eat bloody 'roo. I tell ya, they're fuckin' lazy and they won't work. My brother had a mob of 'em workin' for him once, and in the middle of harvest, in the middle of bloody harvest mind, they go on bloody walkabout! Cost me brother a fuckin' fortune. No one ever gave me a house for free, neither."
    "The Hudson place has been derelict for years. And it's not free, they'll be paying rent," Dad assured the group. Mr Wood seemed to ignore that point and continued over Dad with his rant.
    "And the women are only good for one thing." He turned to the rest of the men with a salacious leer. I could see Dad balling his fist at his side as he finished his middy of beer.
    "But ya gotta be fuckin' pissed to put up with the smell," said Mr Wood, finishing with a laugh. I pulled hard on Dad's pants leg to get his attention as he handed his empty glass to Mr Symonds. He took a step toward a swaying Mr Wood.
    "Your attitude disgusts me," Dad enunciated slowly and clearly.
    "An' your kind McNally make my blood boil. Fuckin' bleedin' bloody hearts. An' yer helpin' 'em only encourages 'em ta stay. Oh yeah, we know what you've been up to." Dad brushed Mr Wood's prodding finger away.
    "What, ya want a fight McNally? Sure, I'd be only too fuckin' happy ta knock ya down a few fuckin' pegs. Come on, I dare ya," taunted Mr Wood, the veins in his neck bulging. The others rushed to him and held him tightly to stop a fight. I pulled again on Dad's trouser leg.
    He bent down as I cupped my hand to my mouth and