[To be familiar with the characters of this story you really need to have read 'tales from the bush' parts 1@2 hidden deep in the bowels of jokes and humour, in case your not into a paper file chase, http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/social/humour/203865/1/Tales-from-the-Bush-The-Real-Use-For-Magizines http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/social/humour/204175/1/Tales-from-the-Bush-part-2-The-proper-Use-For-Magazines
There is a time when a mans conscience says, you just got to go, to do more, reach out, extend, make it happen. Was it hard, to make a decision, to make the effort? I would have to say a definite No. Besides the three of us had had our conscience reminded for years, if your not out there doing it right, showing initiative, using the best and newest offerings, then you will miss out on the good things, and now we had just had the Big one, the once yearly 'arise to action call' [as if we needed it]. Our fishing mag had just reminded us the 'salmon season' starts in a week. We were standing together discussing the finer points of our trip [how many lures, what white wine to have with the first one caught] when up walks the PO [ or as we affectionately called him POO 'presiding outback overseer', just had a thought you could have a POO if you had an anointed overseer, 'presiding overseer overlapper'] "couldn't help hearing you fellows planning a witnessing trip", "No witnessing" shouted my brain at him. " where are you fellows headed." "xxxx" says Mac. "But we only covered that area a short timmme....salamon season, right." "Right!!" three voices in unison. "Got to ask you fellows a really big favour, I'm just about to announce one of those really up building visits, someone up the ladder from Bethel HQ, whose been at Sydney Bethel for some time, got to much time to himself and asked if he could see "some outback" and do "some outback witnessing" and lucky us, he arrives tomorrow, what's you fellows timetable. "Leave Friday, back when quotas full, hopefully, but coming back Tuesday at the earliest." "Heres the favour fellows, would you mind taking our guest along, but one catch, he needs to be here Monday so I can drive him to xxxx so he can fly back to Sydney, what do you say." "NO NO NO bugger off POO!" three rebel brains screamed in unison. "Yes that's ok." three organisationally stupefied voices replied. The printed schedule read: Monday...arrive. Tuesday...field service in the morning /arranged return visits and 'call to arms' talk at 7.30pm. Wednesday...regular field service. Thursday...FS and another pep talk at 7.30pm. "What the hell we going to do, we'll get no fishing in." this was Macca after the meeting, Macca who had a good nose for bad weather, and people at times. "Have to wait and see, maybe he likes fishing." I suggested. " And maybe my prize bull will grow wings and fly to his next stud appointment and save my truck some wear and tear." mumbled Macca as he walked off. "I guessa that's all we can do, isa wait and see." says Toolkit as we headed for our vehicles. Macca showed up around lunchtime the next day. "what you doing Mac" "just been doing business in the pub, and I think I may have our problem fixed , old Jimmy's grandson 'Chris' is in town and..."
I liked the idea, few loose ends to tie up, had to go tell Tooly and he thought "itsa the best."
POO had asked for a show of hands, as to who might be "out supporting" in FS "just so we can sort out territory etc" [no harm in doing a little face shaming] anyway the three of us, our wife's, and, as it turned out most of the congregation, had decided to go out on Tuesday, so here we all were at this ungodly hour, before the first front door, [what I didn't tell you, so as not to bore you to much, was on the printed schedule, was all the fine details, when to be at the mustering yards [KH] when to separate and exist via the loading ramp into waiting vehicles, when to be released to the pasture, [at least it wasn't the abattoir/ knackers yard] having been marshalled through the first exercises, with our fists suspended in mid air, waiting for the second hand to sweep round and hit 9am and say GO. Toolkit had got it spot on last night after the talk [which instead of being up building and loving was like being poked with a cattle prod many times] when he had said "all that's a missing isa the gongs [medals] on his chest."
Wednesday a strange animal virus swept into town forcing some witnesses [only] to have to take their dogs, cats or chickens to the vets a couple of towns away, and stay overnight 'just in case'. Some others had to go to an out of town dentist. And some of us had to work, so by Thursday it was POO and his missus and a couple of hard core devotees and offcourse Pita [he had come up behind us one time and realised that we were talking about him [luckily nothing derogatory] "why do you call me Peter when my real name is Allan." [name changed to protect organizational clone] Could have just said "well Jesus said to Peter 'strengthen your brothers' and that is what you are doing." But no, up pipes Macca "we are not saying Peter we are saying Pita, Pita bread is a great favourite with us [witnesses] but we don't get it enough around here." Well that swoll his head somewhat which was just as well, as he never stopped to think what it really meant...PITA = Pain in the arse. Macca had been right he wasn't into fishing.
Friday...full days drive, we started extra early, so we could show Pita some of the sights on the way, check in at the local pub, that night at dinner Pita drew up the battle plans [field service strategy] we listened with half an ear, as our plans were already in place. He was very disappointed when we told him "no map we just know where to go" but agreed to 'be shown'.
Saturday...early breakfast, quick rally talk and prayer, Macca went off "to arrange some RVs," and there we were at Jimmy's [this was needed protocol we told Pita, this is Theocratic Warfare /Deception after all, and, need I say it, he has aircon] fist in the air waiting for the second, yer yer we all know the routine by now. Heyyyyyy boss its good to see you again, come on in, yous want some tea. We introduced Allan and sat talking over a cuppa, well Allan did most of the talking, as he realized old Jimmy might be a potential 'truth convert', and Jimmy just goaded him on with the right word or sentence here or there. From where I sat I could see out through the window, and now Macca had appeared behind some bush's, I gave him a slight nod and a minute or so later there was a knock on the door, "hi Grandad just brought the spuds back that we borrowed." Introductions all round and Pita moved into second gear, Chris, Jimmy's grandson played a great part, but when I saw little signs of agony starting to show, I gave Macca the nod again, and moments later a knock on the door, "hey Uncle came to see how you doing, and tell you we is going to xxxx soon and see if you need anything." "no thanks Pete I'm OK, come and meet some friends." Introductions all round and Pita hit third gear. Before he really got rolling, Chris got up "gota get going Granddad, see you fellows later, good talking to yous." Pita had given Chris a few mags from his bag, but now Jimmy spoke up. "you fellows should give Chris lots of them magazines cause he got alota family that will read them aint that right Chris." "sure Grandad." I stood up "I'll get him a box" We escaped outside, where Macca assured us all was in place, handed Chris a box of 'fire starters' "I'll slip them out the back for Grandad." and thanked him for all he had done and assured him full payment would be in the imminent future. I went back in, Pita was in Acts, of the Genesis to Revelation run-through, let it run to the agony threshold, and
gave the nod again, this happened another two times six people in all, [including Jimmy] in a similar fashion, until we brought Pita down to earth with thoughts of food, finally we were in the 4WD,[Macca had come in with the last person] and headed to the pub, Pita still had his angel wings on and was hoovering well above ground level, "never had such satisfying talks [for whom Pita 'for whom'] you guys have got to do RVs on all of them we talked to. [you Pita 'you'[talked] not we or them] We promised him we would see them real soon. "and all those mags placed,this town will really heat up after they get around..." Toolkit who had been pretty quite cut in "I thinka you've started many fires aburning in the one morning Allen." It was hard to contain the laughter.
After lunch we went about a mile out of town to the RVs Macca had 'arranged' it was a group of five families and grand parents living in close proximity to each other,when we arrived they were all together [ conveniently] under the big old mango tree, just finished lunch. It was just to much for Pita who just erected his soap box [a large tree stump] flapped up there, and started. We let him go for nealy an hour, then coxed him down with offers of afternoon tea. We had tea, and finally some real conversation, we left after Pita had placed some mags, he was like someone handing out sweets at a kids party, he had a ball. We finished the day having a look around town, and at dinner that night I'm embarrassed to say we feed Pita too many of the local brew, and heard things we more than likely shouldn't have, but that's another story.
For some reason we had a much more subdued/laid back start that next morning [normality, a moment to savour] and were casually making a move for the vehicle sometime after ten. [consider it brotherly love Pita, we are helping you get to old age] We were going on a RV some ways out of town, then finish off as much town as possible, and then, in the words of he who is in command [or so He thought] "if we've anytime over we will chase them fish up you've been telling me about." Macca had been right he didn't like fishing much, and as Mac added at some stage
" the only fishing he does is with a line baited with Watchtowers, a pretty restricted catch you get with them." [He was an early fader was Mac, yup 4weeks 12 hours before Tooly and I and our wife's did the same.]
We were a bit of aways down the main road when 'bang!' the vehicle came to a halt, "un momento I will have a look" says Tooly as he is getting out "it sounds like...." "yes it is so, we will needa tow." "I'll go to the servo it is just up the road a bit." We sat under the shade of a tree and waited ,fifteen/twenty minutes later Mac and the mechanic were there and pretty soon we were at the servo, and Gary the mechanic and owner was telling us [after a couple of phone calls] "the earliest it could arrive would be on the Tuesday arvo flight , which should have it on the road late Wednesday morning." "Oh heck that means I am going to miss my flight, what am I going to do."
"no worrries mate you can catch the bus, it gets in to XXXX at 10/10.30pm and it leaves at 12.30pm, you just got time to get your bags [I'll run you down to the pub] and have a burger for lunch." "Where do I get the ticket and where does it leave from." "I am the agent, so you get the ticket right here, and she leaves from here as well." We sat and had a burger in the takeaway attached to the servo, and then saw Pita off.
"We're so sorry[ cue the violins] you have got go we've so enjoyed your company and the theocratic association, Allan."
" sorry we couldn't have thrown a line in together, but you did reel in a few men."
"It is a shame that it had to happen this way, buta these things wella they just happen sometime." [said with a straight face] I/we kept glancing at the sky, no storm clouds, no lighting, maybe Jehovah does approve of Theocratic Decpetion/Warfare, we had read from 'his one channel of communication,' that, that is so.
We waved him out of sight. [to be fair Allan was a hell of a nice guy, but we only met that 'real' nice guy once, sad to say when he was drunk, the rest of the time he lived behind the organisational mask.]
" Grab the car [never did find out what Tooly did with the vehicle "it's a trade secrete" was all I ever got.] and head down to the pub, grab the cartoons that we need and some ice, deliver to all, we should be fishing in a couple of hours." No holding Mac back when it came to fishing. It cost quite a few cartoons, but hey 'the fishings Free, but sometimes it 'Costs to get there.' FF