And then the war was over but times was really tough back in Binangon. The depression came and there was no work for any bastard and less for the rest of us.
Place was full of foreign bankers (foreign wankers, I call 'em). All they wanted to do was cut government spendin'. They said somethin' called the 'economic cycle' would come round again. Well, it was gettin' to be a bloody long wait for it to cycle back our way. Sir Otto Niemeyer. There's a mouthful for ya. The bank of England sent 'im out 'ere to tell us what to do. Pay back all your debts to the British investors was 'is advice to us. This was our advice to 'im:
What rot- o
Sir Otto
Niemeyer
I went up north to find a job. Ev’ryone else had the same idea. There was an Aboriginal rouseabout in those parts went by the name of Jacki Bindi. Times were hard for everyone and there was an awful lot of thievin' goin' on. Jackie used ter cop the blame for most of it, whetehr 'e done it or not. Always in trouble with the law was Jackie. But 'e usually managed to get 'is own back in 'is own way.
One day he's up before the beak for somethin' or other. The beak was worried if Jackie knew what he was supposed to do in the whitfella's court. 'Jacky', ask the beak 'do you know what will happen to you if you tell lies?'
'Oh yes, boss', Jacky sez. 'I go to hell.'
'That's right, jacky, sez the beak, noddin' 'is 'ead. 'And do you know what will happen if you tell the truth?'
'Sure do, boss - I go to gaol'.
Another time they 'ad Jacky up for stealin' a crowbar. There wasn't much evidence as usual, just hearsay, and the local magistrate dismissed the case. Jackie leans over to his solicitor to check what it all meant. 'It means you've been acquitted, Jackie'. 'Shit', says Jackie, does that mean I 'ave to give the crowbar back?'
Once Jackie was sentenced to three years hard for knockin' off a horse. After the judge passed sentence, 'e asked Jackie if he 'ad anythin' to say. 'Yes, I 'ave', says Jackie. 'You're bloody free with other people's time'.
I've 'eard other say that wasn't what Jackie said to the judge at all. Instead, 'e offered to toss 'im for it - 'six years or nothin', boss, whaddya say?'. Never did 'ear what the judge said back ter Jackie.
Last time I 'eard of Jackie 'e was up fer manslaughter. The jury took a day or two to reach a verdict. When they finally came back and the judge asked them what it was, the foreman gets up and says they find Jackie not guilty by reason of insanity. 'Jesus', sez Jackie, the whole twelve of you can't be mad'.
Yeah, times were 'ard and tucker was short in those years. The greatest whinger in the world was ‘avin a field day when I seen ‘im agen. Another big ‘at and wearin’ a pair of greasy old overalls. We was on the Sandy Hollow Line, all slavin’ for a pittance. ‘Owd yer be?’, I sez.
He straightens up, takes off the ‘at, wipes his face and lets me ‘ave it:
‘Owd I be? ‘Ow d’ya bloody well think I’d be?! I’m on the bones of me arse, buildin’ a railway line to nowhere for a livin’, if you can call it that. Me pick’s just broke for the third time and the ganger’s about to give me the sack. And there’s not a bloody pub for miles. ‘’Ow’d I be? ‘ow do yer bloody well think I’d be?!’
Anyways, after a few years of doin' it tough I reckoned that was more than enough for all of us, even the whinger. I talked the pollies into spendin' some money so that they could give people jobs. Blind Freddie could see that. Then people would have money to spend and the shops and the factories could start up again. Only common sense, really. If people ain't got no money they can't spend it. All you gotta do is make sure they can get a job somewhere, doin' somethin'. So, the pollies spent the dough and Binangon went back to work again.
Everythin' was just startin’ to go well when the bastards overseas decided to stack on another blue. Bugger me! First it's Adolph bloody Hitler in Germany. Then it's Tojo and the Japs. Well, someone 'ad to go, didn't they? So I'm back in uniform again.
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