Bulk Goon

By Martin Chambers

When school leavers arrive at Rottnest Island for end-of-year celebrations they find overzealous police and no beer. But an aspiring business student hits upon a simple and profitable plan. Between parties on the beach, pies at the bakery, and lots of healthy outdoor activities, what could possibly go wrong?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Martin Chambers
• Release date: Oct 18, 2010
• ISBN: 9781452327983

Martin Chambers

Born in Perth, Western Australia, in 1957. Studied Veterinary science. Worked as publican, field assistant, ferry skipper, salesman, and white water rafting guide. Best job was Quality control at the Swan Brewery (true!). Lives in Perth with wife and two adult daughters. Writes travel articles, short stories, poetry and fiction.

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Bulk Goon

by Martin Chambers

Smashwords edition

copyright 2010 Martin Chambers

http://www.martinchambers.id.au

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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Chapter 1

Bree and Monika stopped at the top of the gangway to watch the crowd on the jetty. Teenagers had gathered in groups at every available spot on the jetty, talking and yelling, giving high fives and group hugs. Some men, probably police, stood watching passengers move down the gangway, looking at people in that adult way of not really seeing. To the side there were two more in uniform, an older man and a younger policewoman whose uniform was immaculate. With them was a nursing sister who smiled at Bree, seeming to be the only person who saw her. Bree returned the smile, held eye contact for a moment, then scanned the jetty for the boys. She saw them a little further along, standing in a group with their bikes and surfboards. Charlotte and Helen were already there. She waved, then walked through the throng to meet them. The jetty was crowded with teenagers and big gangs of them stood blocking the walkway, queuing to get their passes, hugging, yelling, whooping, all carrying surfboards or eskies or snorkels or some other essential for an island holiday. One of the boys turned to meet her as she and Monika came up.

‘Hi babe’

‘Hi Simon.’

Bree didn’t introduce anyone. That would be uncool, and anyway, there were so many new faces it would take forever amid the crowd and noise. She could see Helen and Charlotte sizing up some of the boys, who seemed to be more interested in a surfboard one of them was holding. An older man was standing nearby with his own plain white surfboard, also admiring the graphics.

‘Marc Warren custom,’ said Simon to her. ‘Graduation prezzie from his dad. Bing’s dad’s loaded. Check out the sick art.’

‘That’s all Marc Warren boards are good for, can’t surf shit,’ one of the boys chipped in.

Bree admired the design. They were very good. The main image was of a dragon surfing a giant wave between two planets in a star-filled universe that from a distance looked like the single image of a dude in the green room.

‘Awesome!’

A second then a third ferry arrived, even more schoolies streamed down the gangways onto the crowded jetty. There was a queue to get off the jetty but no-one seemed to mind the long wait. Everyone was talking, yelling, catching up with friends or chatting to those they had just met.

A line of desks was set up and the island rangers were checking ID and verifying accommodation. As a ripple of awareness passed back up the line bottles and cans of drink disappeared into surf bags, wrapped in beach towels, hidden wherever they could be. Those who could prove they had somewhere to stay were issued with a yellow wrist band that was clipped on by two youths dressed in green shirts. These were the volunteer coordinators for schoolies week, the ‘red frogs’, who also handed out bags with some leaflets about the island, about schoolies week, a drink bottle, a sample of sunscreen, some condoms and information about safe sex. There was no way off the jetty but to pass by the rangers or these green shirted ‘red frogs’.

‘This is your pass into the concerts, schoolies-only areas.

Don’t take it off or lose it.’ He looked at the esky. ‘What’s in the esky?’

‘Food!’ One of the boys piped up. Too quickly.

‘Leave it in your houses. The cops, the rangers, are ruthless. Any street drinking, it will be confiscated and you will be sent home. They’re giving no second chances, OK? Any problems, talk to one of us with the green shirts.’ Almost before he was finished he had turned away to greet the next group.

‘You got your house key?’ Bree asked Simon.

‘Not yet. You’ve got to be eighteen and sign all the bond papers and shit, over there.’ He pointed to the island facilities office.

‘My name is Julie Holdsworth.’ Bree brandished her wallet, pulled out and showed him her fake ID.

‘Your mum’s name!’

‘Yeah. My sis the bitch wouldn’t let me use hers so I forged this.’

‘Does your mum know?’

She looked at him as if he were the most stupid thing alive.

‘It’s better this way,’ she said. ‘I’m older, beyond suspicion,’ she said. And to his quizzical look, ‘Botox, babe. And I look at least twenty five.’

It was a further wait while Bree collected the key and signed the lease for the girls’ bungalow, then without discussion the group went to check out the girls’ place. Everyone drifted inside, wandered around the rooms while the girls chose their bedrooms, then onto the balcony where one of the boys Bree didn’t know opened the esky and took out a Corona.

‘Lucky they didn’t look inside,’ he said.

‘Time for some food,’ said another. ‘Here.’ Cans were tossed around, opened, beer frothed and spilled.

‘Got anything else?’

‘No. You girls bring anything?’

‘Nar. I’ll buy it here. Got the ID.’

‘You better remember your name, Julie. You signed ‘Bree’ on the lease, I was watching. Lucky they are not paying attention.’

‘Oops.’

‘The bottle shop’s closed for schoolies week. You can only get wine and shit from the grocery store. Can’t get cartons or anything.’

Bree swore. She took a swig of Simon’s beer, made a face. Simon laughed and she swiped at him.

‘Call Tollie, get him to send some on the next ferry. If he wraps it and then addresses it Bungalow 243 it will get delivered. He has to put it in a box or something, so it looks like food.’

‘Get your sis to do it.’ He laughed, but pulled out his phone and dialed his brother. Bree stood next to him as he talked then kissed him when he finished.

‘C’mon. We’re going to the beach.’ She led Simon out, the girls followed, then the boys too. The entire gang wandered down to the beach, meeting and talking, push and shoving, laughing, jeering to others they met along the way, running in and out of the houses of groups they only partially knew and the group adding and subtracting within itself as it went. Every non-teenager they saw brought a wave of quiet as cans and bottles slid under shirts or behind towels.

At the beach, the atmosphere was expectant. Someone had a stereo with an iPod dock and soon there was music. Boys stood with boys or ran to and from the water. Girls lay on towels and rubbed sunscreen onto each other. Someone had a bat and ball and soon there was a game of beach cricket, boys against girls for those who could be bothered. Little by little the boys and girls mixed until somehow the two teams became even, with groups of fielders standing together, knee deep in the water. Hits up the beach or along the sand were called out of bounds. Simon and Bree lay together on the beach.

‘Schoolies week. At last. It’s gunna be fantastic.’

Chapter 2

Her uniform was crisp and neat. She had the freshness of a new recruit but she was older than that. She stood slim and straight, more confident than the average newbie. When she moved it was sensual. He walked over arm outstretched.

‘Dave MacKenzie.’ She shook his offered hand. ‘New uniform?’ he asked.

‘No. I just look after it.’ She looked him up and down in the way a new recruit should not. He was older, relaxed, looked handsomely fit without being athletic. She smiled. ‘Nina Ho.’

Nurse Wilkes watched them both. She was also in uniform but hers had a more careworn look. Soft and comfortable. Seeing Nina again, neat in her uniform, she remembered their time together at Fremantle Hospital. Nina had been a student nurse then, ten years her junior, but quickly became her best friend. Nina the Neat, they called her. Watching Sergeant MacKenzie and Nina appraise each other she realized, almost with a start, that MacKenzie liked women in uniform. She and Sergeant MacKenzie had worked together on the island for three years, often closely such is the nature of policing and nursing in a small community. He was a nice enough guy, although not her type.

She often wondered why he had never fallen for one of the beachside romances that the