Read + Write + Report
Home | Start a blog | About Orble | FAQ | Blogs | Writers | Paid | My Orble | Login

Equal and Opposite - October 2008

Episode 1, Act 2, The Worms Cricket Club Corner for Channel 31(2005)

ACT TWO
AS BEFORE. MARK AS BEFORE. PETER IN RUBBER’S FORMER SEAT AND AMANDA IN RAZOR’S.
PETER IS IN THONGS AND SHORTS WITH A CLUB T-SHIRT. AMANDA IS OVERDRESSED.

MARK
Welcome back. Many years ago a young tearaway with long hair walked into our club and has not looked back. The first foot that landed in the club was a left one but ever since then he has been coming down hard with the right one. The hair has thinned and his work with the wood is better. Welcome Peter.

PETER
Thanks Ham.

MARK
It didn’t take him long before he had hooked up with his partner of thirteen years. She has made an enormous impact on the club. Welcome Amanda.

AMANDA
Pleasure Hammy.

MARK
Terrific result for you on Saturday Peter. Won the toss. You picked up another bag. Caught a hot one in the gully.

PETER
I picked up a bag. It fell into my lap. I kept it straight. They were a bit loose. A couple went through the gate. One was caught deep. I had another in close. A couple went in the slips. The slips were wide. I got a bag. One went down in the gully region. I like the gully myself. Many’s the lazy arvo I’ve spent in the gully region. Sometimes I’ll share the gully. Two in the gully. You often pick up a few that way. Many’s the arvo I’ve picked up a couple with a partner. Especially when it’s moving around a bit. I like it in close too. Closer than the gully. I don’t mind popping on the old helmet. Crouching down in close waiting. Slipping into a box with my helmet on. Sometimes they really fly off the pads. That’s when you take them. When they come off the pads they come quick. On the odd occasion they come straight off the face. That’s the time to keep the rim of the helmet low. You might wind up with a bloody face otherwise.




MARK
You made a pile of runs. Even though the pull has been the most productive you still have a glance. When you hit it past the rope what happens?

AMANDA
I retrieve the balls. I see the little red things rolling along and I scurry off. I’ve been taught to get right behind it. Cushion it’s momentum and wait. Sometimes it’s hard. I just get so anxious to handle the ball. I fumble it or the thing goes rolling between my legs. Then I pick it up and throw it back in. I do this until the sun goes down. Either way all the blokes seem to enjoy what I do. I like to lend a hand around the place. What with sandwiches and so on. Cheese is my favourite. I just have a thing for cheese. I don’t know what it is. The blokes like the soft white stuff that I have. I don’t care much for that. Just give me the cheese. Cheese and meat. Meat and cheese. I prefer the meat before the cheese. I always say Lettuce is OK. You need a good head. When the blokes say Lettuce Lettuce I just open up the crusty bits and they’re usually satisfied. Sweaty blokes need it nice and crisp. I’ve heard no complaints.

MARK
That’s really saying something. When you consider how many blokes you’ve served. There’s one incident I remember. Mandy, you had just come to the club. Pete, you had been caught on the fence. Mandy, you had a huge plate of chicken sandwiches ready for Pete.

AMANDA
Chicken sandwiches. I love chicken sangers. Cock. That’s what the French call it. I like it. I don’t know how anyone could call a Cock a Fowl.

MARK
We discussed earlier with Rubber and Razor about changes. Pete, you’re the One’s Captain, what’s your position?

PETER
There should be changes. I don’t care much for training. I think people should be picked on merit alone. If you have God-given ability that’s more important than attendance. Some people should stay in the nets. We need some people in the nets. I won’t be caught on the fence again.




MARK
No more runs for Peter.

PETER
It came out of the meat. I got a good piece of it. It was the aerial route. A slog. I’m not a slogger. It was a slog. Mandy you saw it. The man stuck a hand up. It stuck.

MARK
No more runs for Peter.

PETER
It was my brother. Him. Of all people. He put his hand up. It was the last ball. It was going to be a maiden. There weren’t many gaps. He wasn’t on the fence. He made up the ground. I was out. Christmas was uncomfortable. It was the festive season. It wasn’t festive. He made sure of that. Mandy saw it.

AMANDA
I stuck a leg out. He managed to avoid it. Not many can say that. When I stick a leg out there aren’t many blokes who can avoid winding up with a mouthful of worms. He stuck his hands up and voila. We had spaghetti for tea that night. Pete loves spag. I like ravioli. Chicken Ravioli. I love those little pockets. Cock in my little pockets. It’s hard to go past.

MARK
I think we all know your taste for poultry Amanda. Peter you also have a taste for the paltry.

PETER
How’s the foot Mark? It’s pretty hard going with an Achilles like yours.

MARK
My dodgy leg. It’s dodgy alright. It’s the bones. The vessels too. Bones and vessels. They can’t get along. My problems are structural. I need a cast. When it happened I wasn’t plastered. Now look at me. I am. I could be finished. I’ll never be finished. If I am it’ll be a first. I may have stroked my last ball.

AMANDA
That’s awful.

PETER
That is.

MARK
I’m getting the signal which means your time is up. Thanks again for joining us. Peter Rotcheese and Amanda.

PETER
Thanks Ham

AMANDA
Pleasure Hammy.

MARK
We’ll be right back with more.


RUN ADS FOR C31

Add CommentsAdd Comments
50
Vote
   


Episode 1, Act 3, The Worms Cricket Club Corner for Channel 31 (2005)

ACT THREE
AS PREVIOUSLY. MARK AS BEFORE. JULIA IN PETER’S FORMER SEAT AND KIM IN AMANDA’S.
JULIA IS DRESSED NEATLY WITH A CLUB CAP. KIM IS SLOVENLY ATTIRED. CLUB CAP BACKWARDS AND AN OUTDATED AND FADED CLUB TRACKSUIT.

MARK
Welcome Back. With us now is the wife of the Thirds captain.

KIM
Former Captain.

MARK
My wife Julia.

JULIA
Thank you.

KIM
Thanks.

MARK
The Leader of the Seconds: Kim Measly.

KIM
Thanks.

MARK
An opener and slipper.

KIM
To open you have to get right down to sniff the balls. It’s called sniffing them out. Get the nose right over them. A nostril full of a brand new nut. That’ll get the old organ pumping. Nothing quite like it. Try and occupy the crease. Crease occupation. Really dig in. Get a big one.



MARK
Any changes this week?

KIM
I consult my compass before I do anything. I like to know where I am in relation to the poles. Before that I can’t say. I could toss. The toss is the other choice. I hate choices. That’s right. Sorry. The arrow pointed South. Won’t be making changes. Don’t like the policy. Hate the policy. The policy is no good. I remember now. The poles are down and up. It’s a delicate matter. The poles move around and I stay put. I’ve changed my position. It’s all heading South.

JULIA
Is it sore?

MARK
It’s not too bad really. Without this cast I’d be in strife. I hope this is a good cast. I’m sure it will do the job. That’s all anyone can ever ask. I hope someone will write on the cast. Say nice things. It’s of no matter. The important thing is that the cast holds together. I do like having a crutch. I must say. Julia something about you.

JULIA
I can’t. I can’t. I can’t. I can’t. I can’t. Can’t. Can’t. Can’t. Can’t. Can’t. I can’t. Cycling. That’s as much about me as need be said. I fancy cycling. It’s unavoidable. A cycle. It seems wherever I go I got there by way of a cycle.

KIM
I got caught on a cycle. I had to pump up my own tyres. They became inflated. I’m working on shaping a new bat. It’s got two faces. It’s my memory. Often times I forget which way I’m facing. You see my problem.

MARK
Julia you are also a good seamer. Quite quick. I recall seeing Amanda in her pads jumping about. You are quick. Razor found you a handful too. From the first time I saw you I put my socks on. You pulled them up. They fell down.



JULIA
I won’t say anymore. Something has gone through the house. It was Rubber. He’s always dragging his shoes through. I asked Would you mind not dragging those through the house. He pretended not to notice me. He noticed me. He was bending over to inspect his sole. There was nothing there. There was. He’d stepped in something. All he kept going on about was his new ball. Dragging his sole through the house. We saw the worst of his sole. I can’t help thinking you are partly to blame. I don’t blame you.

KIM
Me?

MARK
Me? Well. They aren’t my soles. Rubber has been dragging millions of bacteria with him everywhere. Blame them. Blame him.

KIM
Me? My sole is fine. The tongue is a touch worn. It’s split. I conceal the split. I poke it back in with a fork. It comes loose. I conceal that well wouldn’t you say? My sole is pure. I had it replaced. My inners have given me all sorts of grief. I have none now. I can’t say I’ve ever had them. Somebody give me some uppers.

JULIA
Is it any wonder I cycle. I should not have to. I have to. The bell jars on mine. The bell jars. I remember Peter had a bike or was it a trike? Anyway everyone believed what he said. He said that his wheels never squeaked. Then one day they did. He got a new bike. He was always hopping onto new bikes. Much as Amanda would get Razor’s rusty old one. She would be riding around on that rusty thing waiting for Razor to corrode his current one. That is my bike she’d say. It wasn’t. Razor would say That’s not my bike. It was. Rubber knows how to distribute bikes. I know how to cycle.

KIM
Do you know Mark, why you’re sitting there and I’m sitting here?

MARK
Millions of tiny bacteria dragged me here. It couldn’t be helped. I threw myself at their mercy. They had none. Merciful millions. Some bad wiring. Nothing a little current would not hinder. I was yanked out. It was a yank. Something to do with a yank. It was contributing. We were crammed in. Packed in. I did not want to be part of the packed. I wanted no part of the yank. I was yanked. It was a case of crossed wiring. The bacteria wouldn’t stick to my thongs. I wanted their help. I did want to help them. The crutches helped. They itch. It itches. The rubber does not help. It protects the wood. That’s all it does. I don’t want my wood protected.

KIM
I like being part of the packed with the yanks.

MARK
You’re a yanker alright.

KIM
That’s right I am.

JULIA
It’s been a beaut show. We hope you will join us again. Next time. Bye. Bye. Bye.

MARK AND KIM EXCHANGE PLEASANTRIES.
THE REST COME IN TO INTERRUPT AND EXCHANGE WORDS IN FRIENDLY MANNER.

RUN C31 ADS
Add CommentsAdd Comments
50
Vote
   


Beggar's Belief (2005)

Striking by comparison with many others of my area I was a mediocre student conversely. It was said that as a child I was especially bright and you could still see it, but it was now manifested in adolescent pursuits of alcohol and fighting. Speaking of which I can’t locate my single malt scotch, and the hour is late so I’m losing patience with the search.

Searching the room for a while, it’s clear the bottle isn’t here and I’ve turned the room upside down, looking every hour on the hour for over a quarter. The economic calendar is my calendar, none of this roman stuff for me or is it Greek. My classical education is far from complete and I’m a self-taught painter of some note, whatever that means.

Taxes are very important to me and lodging a return is my favourite duty as a citizen, despite my income being thin on the ground bringing in the New Year with a few transactions and a couple of statements of my balance at the ATM has become a ritual. Ever since my first paycheck I’ve had work, the kind of work that fills me with great pride and a sense of satisfaction. When at work its all I think of and the thoughts that run through my mind! Thoughts of work mostly is the resounding response. When the thoughts come is when the bells ring and the cobwebs have set in there.

But then along came the type of people you’d like to mention. They came in as they would in a three-legged race, often times they wouldn’t seem to know the other was there and lived independently doing things in a merry way. People come and go but the types remain the same, when they pass by I offer them crisps and cheddar and a glass of scotch which is water anyway. The idea of deceiving them like that has never sat well with me but I carry on regardless. Their concerns are no concern of mine, and philanthropy knows no bounds; as long as I receive a copy of the receipt I’m a happy little pig. All these transactions and so little reward, and it’s been said that the reward is the deed but some of us can’t get going.
Add CommentsAdd Comments
47
Vote
   


More Posts
3 Posts
5 Posts
2 Posts
779 Posts dating from November 2006
Email Subscription
Receive e-mail notifications of new posts on this blog:

Norm's Blogs

6835 Vote(s)
327 Comment(s)
75 Post(s)
45826 Vote(s)
2554 Comment(s)
672 Post(s)
24499 Vote(s)
338 Comment(s)
376 Post(s)
Moderated by Norm
Copyright © 2012 On Topic Media PTY LTD. All Rights Reserved. Design by Vimu.com.
On Topic Media ZPages: Sydney |  Melbourne |  Brisbane |  London |  Birmingham |  Leeds     [ Advertise ] [ Contact Us ] [ Privacy Policy ]