The Odd Angry Shot by William Nagle Read Free Book Online

propose to change our money now?’
    From above us we hear a voice: ‘You three.’ We look up, and I feel nothing but dismay as I recognise the face of the lieutenant colonel leaning over the balcony.
    â€˜Yessir?’
    â€˜You change your money at the post office on the beach. Follow the road out of town.’
    â€˜Thank you, sir,’ mutters Rogers weakly.
    THE post office sits squat and silvery in the small hollow between the beach and the road to Vung Tau.
    â€˜Gone to Lunch. Back at Two,’ Harry reads aloud, peering at the sign on the door.
    We sit on the concrete verandah and lean against the door.
    â€˜What’s the time now?’
    â€˜One fifty-five,’ I answered.
    â€˜Five minutes. Not long,’ says Rogers.
    â€˜Best count our dough and we’ll give it all in at once, eh?’ I offer.
    â€˜Yeah, probably save time. That’s if this post office pooftah turns up on time.’
    â€˜Think I’ll have a piss,’ observes Rogers, getting up and walking around to the side of the building.
    â€˜Jesus, have a look at this.’
    â€˜What?’ yells Harry.
    â€˜Air conditioning. These bastards have got air conditioning. Well, I’ll be buggered.’ Rogers slumps down besides Harry again, muttering. ‘Air conditioning. Bloody air conditioning.’
    â€˜Shit,’ says Harry, ‘must be a rough war down here, eh?’
    â€˜I can hear the news flash now,’ says Rogers, ‘armed forces radio news, da-da. Vung Tau, today. Six post office workers at the Australian Logistics base at Vung Tau died from heat exhaustion when the air conditioning failed in the early hours of this morning. Two more were reported to be in a critical condition after hearing that the ice for the beer hadn’t arrived.’
    â€˜You blokes want something?’ This remark from a weedy looking corporal with glasses breaks the spell.
    â€˜Yeah mate,’ says Harry, getting to his feet, ‘is this where we change our money?’
    â€˜You’ll have to go to the other end of the hut for that. And the rank’s corporal, not mate, soldier.’
    â€˜Aw Jesus no,’ says Rogers, ‘not two in one day.’
    â€˜The other end of the hut you say, eh corporal?’
    â€˜That’s right, soldier.’
    â€˜Thanks, corporal.’
    â€˜Pimple-faced bastard,’ mutters Harry.
    We are almost around the corner when it happens again.
    â€˜Hey soldier!’
    What bloody now? I think.
    â€˜Where’s your web belt?’
    â€˜Don’t own one, corporal,’ I answer.
    â€˜Don’t you know that ROs state that web belts, black, will be worn when on leave in the Vung Tau area?’
    â€˜No, corporal,’ I answer.
    â€˜Well, I suggest that you acquaint yourself with routine orders quick smart. And get yourself a web belt.’
    â€˜Can I have a word with you, corporal?’ asks Harry, walking back towards the weed.
    â€˜Oh Jesus no,’ mutters Rogers with a dismayed look.
    Harry speaks quietly with the corporal for about thirty seconds, then he and the corporal come towards me. The corporal extends his hand.
    â€˜Sorry mate, I didn’t know. Have a good leave.’
    â€˜Er, thanks, er corporal,’ I stammer in amazement.
    â€˜What the Christ did you say to him?’ I ask Harry, while we walk towards the other end of the hut.
    â€˜I told him you were a nutcase and that the last time anyone gave you a hard time you tried to strangle him.’
    â€˜You said I was a nutcase? You great prick!’
    â€˜It got you out of the shit, didn’t it?’
    â€˜I s’pose so,’ I answered with resignation.
    â€˜Don’t hit me, oh please don’t hit me,’ says Rogers, backing away from me with tears of laughter in his eyes.
    â€˜Jesus, out of all the bastards in the Task Force, how did I land you two?’ I grinned at both of them. They grinned back at me.