by Leah Purcell
And in comes ROBERT PARSEN, a stockman, full of bravado.
PARSEN: ‘There’s been enough killin’ around here, eh?’ So I’ve heard, but I’m bettin’ you two might know a little more.
DROVER’S WIFE: Who are ya and what is ya business here?
PARSEN: Robert Parsen.
I drive with Joe, except he didn’t turn up for this drove. First time in eight years.
And I felt I was obliged to drop by and see if me old mate’s alright.
And on hearin’ what I just heard and what people are sayin’ in town, I’m more than a little worried.
DROVER’S WIFE: No need to be, Mr …?
PARSEN: Parsen. Robert Parsen.
DROVER’S WIFE: There is no need for your concern, Mr Robert Parsen.
Beat.
PARSEN: And this black heathen cunt? Who the fuck did ya kill to get them clothes?
He steps up to YADAKA.
You dare look a white man in the eye, Jacky?
YADAKA stands defiant.
I find your facial expression inappropriate for a nigger.
PARSEN knees him in the balls. YADAKA falls to the ground and PARSEN sees the boots. He grabs one, seeing the outside of the heel is worn down.
Ya wearin’ Joe’s boots!
He takes aim. DROVER’S WIFE propels herself over YADAKA’s body.
DROVER’S WIFE: No! Wait! I gave them to him for work he had done.
PARSEN: Get off him!
He pushes her off.
Ya got no shame! Ya harlot!
She gets up and faces off to PARSEN.
DROVER’S WIFE: I beg your pardon.
PARSEN: Ya heard me. Now, where’s me mate. Where’s Joe?
DROVER’S WIFE: Gone. Left me … all alone with the children. No food, no nothin’ … and me wee one dead, dead from all the worry … and this man offered to help and I needed help and for his time I gave him Joe’s boots—
PARSEN: Well, what the fuck’s Joe got on his feet?
DROVER’S WIFE: Not my concern! I found him in a compromisin’ position with the whore due west, ridin’ him she was, and it wasn’t fuckin’ side-saddle!
Long pause.
PARSEN: Ya can’t be too careful with these black myall bastards on the roam, now can ya?
He breaks away, goes to YADAKA, who’s still on the ground.
I can send this piece of shit on his way, if ya like?
DROVER’S WIFE: He’s leavin’ first light.
His rifle aimed at YADAKA’s head.
PARSEN: So where the fuck was ya off to just now then, because what I heard were goodbyes.
DROVER’S WIFE: Mr Parsen, I do not take kindly to ya tone and questionin’. Ya heard what I said.
PARSEN turns sharply, bearing down on her.
PARSEN: I don’t believe a fuckin’ word you say!
He butts her in the stomach, she falls to the ground, winded and in great pain.
YADAKA gets up, staggering but swinging.
PARSEN fires the rifle, but it jams!
They fight!
DROVER’S WIFE gets up, throwing herself at PARSEN, who hits her flush in the face, she falls to the ground, knocked out.
PARSEN delivers an uppercut with the butt of the rifle to YADAKA’s jaw, sending him flying backwards, stumbling to the ground.
PARSEN stands over him, repeatedly butting him in the head with the rifle. He almost beats him to death.
Just then JOHN MCPHARLEN, another stockman, arrives.
MCPHARLEN: There’s a stretcher with a dead fuckin’ trooper out there.
PARSEN: A trooper? You bastard!
He butts YADAKA again with the rifle.
MCPHARLEN: Where’s Joe?
PARSEN: Gone. Ya took ya fuckin’ time.
MCPHARLEN: Had to take a shit. Ya seem to be in control here. Hey look at this.
He holds up one of YADAKA’s spears, he play-acts being a ‘blackfella’—very degrading.
PARSEN: [catching his breath] Stop fuckin’ around, McPharlen. Tie this bastard up.
MCPHARLEN studying the spear.
John, rope!
He drops the spear and ties up YADAKA.
DROVER’S WIFE has been watching. She slowly sits up.
DROVER’S WIFE: Please, Mr Parsen, think of the children. Joe’s children.
PARSEN walks away to get water from the barrel. MCPHARLEN continues to tie up YADAKA.
DROVER’S WIFE crawls a little toward MCPHARLEN which brings her closer to the axe.
Please, Mr McPharlen is it?
MCPHARLEN laughs, turning back to PARSEN at the water barrel washing his face now.
MCPHARLEN: She called me mister!
He goes back to tying up YADAKA, his back to her also.
DROVER’S WIFE: Please, my children, they need me.
She gives a quick glance to PARSEN, his back to her too.
MCPHARLEN: I’m sure they do, missus.
Just then she picks up the axe and rushes the men.
PARSEN: John!
The men split and run in different directions. PARSEN cocks his rifle, aiming it at her.
Put it down.
I’ll put a bullet through ya.
She holds her ground.
You’re a fuckin’ disgrace. Puttin’ your fuckin’ life on the line for this low-life nigger. What about your children.
MCPHARLEN: Ya gonna shoot her?
PARSEN: That depends on her.
Beat.
She buries the axe deep in the chopping block. PARSEN, enraged, walks to her.
You’re an embarrassment to Joe! Ya nigger-lovin’ harlot!
He raises the butt of the rifle to her, she cowers, he butts her in the back off the head. She drops to the ground, hard.
MCPHARLEN laughs and cheers with excitement, aroused by the violence.
MCPHARLEN: She dead?
PARSEN turns back to DROVER’S WIFE.
PARSEN: Who cares.
MCPHARLEN goes to step around PARSEN to get to her. PARSEN puts his hand on MCPHARLEN’s chest, stopping him.
The black secured?
MCPHARLEN: Secured.
PARSEN steps aside and MCPHARLEN goes down on her, ripping her undergarment.
Mr John fuckin’ McPharlen to you.
MCPHARLEN rapes DROVER’S WIFE.
PARSEN: [to YADAKA] We’re goin’ for a little walk. Ya hear me?
PARSEN breathes deeply, trying to calm himself as he ties a noose with the other end of the rope.
MCPHARLEN: [grunting] There’s a good snow gum, just out front, near the woodheap, bleedin’ tree by the looks; dry blood at the base.
PARSEN kicks out at YADAKA again.
PARSEN: Did ya gut Joe on that? And eat him, ya savage arse!
MCPHARLEN: [grunting] How many will he make?
PARSEN: Thirty something. Thirty-eight.
MCPHARLEN: [grunting] That all?
PARSEN: I’m not gettin’ paid.
Beat.
You reckon this black cunt’s fucked her?
MCPHARLEN almost at climax.
MCPHARLEN: [grunting] Dddddoooonnn’ttt say that, put a man off!
He climaxes, then spits in her face. Straightens himself up, clocks PARSEN still recovering from the fight.
He got under ya, eh? Gave you a run for ya money.
PARSEN: Shut the fuck up and grab his feet.
They drag YADAKA off toward the woodheap.
Long silence.
SCENE EIGHT
The slight breeze brings the creaking of a taunt rope.
DROVER’S WIFE finally wakes, slowly sits up, in great pain.
Beat.
She feels between her legs, rubs the semen from her fingers into the dirt.
Beat.
She sees YADAKA’s body offstage, hanging from the snow gum.
Silence.
DROVER’S WIFE: [to dead YADAKA] I love the snow gum. It’s stout trunk strong … beautiful coloured patterns appear when wet; a gift from God
. Sturdy tree’s limbs waiting to take the weight of winter … the weight of you.
Oh, to see these snow gums after an autumn shower … it’s this rare beauty that reminds me why I stay …
… a vision of beauty no more.
All I’ll see now is you, pale face, neck broke … just an inch more and Joe’s boot to the ground.
[Singing]
Black, black, black is the colour of my true love’s hair.
Her face is something wondrous fair.
Black Mary.
My da, no mention of my ma’s … name …
[Singing]
The purest smile and the gentlest of hands …
Sang it when he was drunk …
Beat.
Maybe that’s why I’m a good tracker. Had the gift of findin’ me da when he was on the drink.
Us always on our own … always away … or over there, never near or amongst, just … alone, just us, us two.
Beat.
Miss Shirley McGuinness once said, ‘Danny was quite brown … He might be a throwback?’ Throwback, didn’t know what that meant …
I told her I was workin’ hard in the paddock … Danny still in my belly, ‘He got some sun too …’
Maybe that’s why Joe didn’t like me when he was ragin’ with the whiskey, beat me till I was black … and …
Beat.
My da did once say …
Molly, pet name to Mary.
Pause.
Black Mary. Whitest gin around.
[Singing]
And still I hope that the time will come
When you and I will be as one.
Black, black, black, black …
She then begins to wail.
Transition from late night to early morning (day three).
SCENE NINE
DROVER’S WIFE hasn’t moved, in severe shock. Her voice hoarse from singing.
DROVER’S WIFE: [mumbling] Black is the colour …
DANNY arrives home. He’s afraid, dirty and cold. He’s almost afraid to approach the house.
DANNY: Ma.
Silence.
Ma?
Silence.
Ma!
Her focus still looking off into the distance.
DROVER’S WIFE: [with a subdued smile] Danny lad.
DANNY doesn’t move.
DANNY: They’re gone, Ma.
DROVER’S WIFE: Who, Danny?
DANNY: The others.
DROVER’S WIFE: Bastards, all of them.
DANNY: No, Ma. Joe Junior, Henry James and Delphi.
Beat.
DROVER’S WIFE: Gone?
DANNY: Taken.
Authorities.
Somethin’ about a … peddler … yeah, a peddler sayin’ you with a murderin’ heathen savage.
But I told them, ‘No such thing. He is Yadaka of the Guugu Yimithirr, adopted Ngambri Walgalu’.
Miss Shirley sayin’ stuff … ‘Her own kind, touch of the tar brush’ … Calling us quadroon? What’s that, Ma?
There were troopers, Ma, lots.
Stockmen sayin’ Da didn’t make the drive, Ma. Mad as hell they were.
I rode hard. I wanted to get home to tell ya, tell Yadaka. Didn’t stop. Rode hard. Didn’t have time to get the vegetables, I’m sorry.
He finally sees YADAKA.
DROVER’S WIFE: Joe Junior, Henry James and Delphi … taken ya say?
DANNY just nods. He is devastated.
DANNY: He dead, Ma?
DROVER’S WIFE: Yes, son.
Beat.
Two of ya da’s mates … stopped by … they brought word—
DANNY: They did this, Ma?
DROVER’S WIFE: On the drive, up in the high country, ya da’s horse slipped—
DANNY: Stop—
DROVER’S WIFE: Hittin’ his head … dead. Something’ like that, that’ll do.
DANNY: No, Ma!
DROVER’S WIFE: It has to be.
DANNY: I know.
DROVER’S WIFE finally turns to face him.
DROVER’S WIFE: Know what, son?
DANNY: Not your fault, though.
Beat.
He was comin’ to kill ya. ‘For shamin’ me manhood in front of a whore!’
Not a very happy night for me birthday …
You wanted somethin’ special … family together … before Da left for the drove …
The shard. Comin’ for ya. At ya throat.
Single shot, straight between the eyes, small trickle of blood … dropped … dead.
Like the bullock …
Beat
You forgot to sweep that night, saw the tracks to the woodheap …
She can’t look at him.
Ma …
She turns to face him.
DROVER’S WIFE: Yes, son.
DANNY: Ma, I won’t never go a-drovin’.
She pulls him into her. They hug. They hold each other like this is all they have in the world, and it is.
After a moment:
DROVER’S WIFE: Our secret, Danny.
DANNY: Yes, Ma.
DROVER’S WIFE: It has to be. You hear me, son?
He nods.
Now, what ya can tell me is this, where did they take my children?
DANNY: The lockup. Pastor McGuinness prayin’ over ’em. Miss Shirley tellin’ ’em it was for the best. Delphi cryin’.
Snuck around back. Through the little window, pulled myself up on the bars, Ma. I told ’em, we’ll find ’em. We’d come for ’em.
DROVER’S WIFE: And that’s just what we’ll do.
She begins to pack. DANNY watches her. She grabs two duffle bags, fills them with meat. Water canisters to fill, rolled-up blankets, etc.
[To herself] So, Miss Shirley gave my children up. Thinkin’ it’s for the best. Because of a trap-flappin’ peddler.
Beat.
Did ya say anythin’, son?
Pause.
Did they question you about ya da? Did ya say anythin’?
DANNY turns to look at YADAKA.
DANNY: I can keep a secret, Ma. I never said anything about Da.
I’m sorry …
She goes to comfort him.
DROVER’S WIFE: Not your fault.
She hugs him.
Yadaka’s death is not your fault. You hear me, son. Not your fault.
Now, lockup ya say.
She goes back to her packing.
DANNY: [numb] We gonna … bury him, Ma?
DROVER’S WIFE: In the spring, we’ll come back through here, the snow will hold him over.
DANNY: Ya mean, come home, don’t ya?
She takes the axe from the chopping block.
DROVER’S WIFE: Wait here.
She heads off to YADAKA. We hear her chop the rope, his body falls.
Beat.
She comes back, holding Joe’s boots.
Rightly yours.
She hands them to him.
DANNY: Da.
DROVER’S WIFE: Put them on, son, a decent man has boots on his feet.
DANNY looks them over, contemplating. He places them aside.
DANNY: I wanna walk like Yadaka.
She goes to him, looking at him as if for the first time; before her, a boy becoming a man.
DROVER’S WIFE: Go, get dressed then.
DANNY goes inside, leaving the boots. She ties them to her duffle bag.
[Calling] Layers, Danny. Layer up, son, the snow’s comin’.
She grabs her broom and does a quick sweep, finding the spear that MCPHARLEN discarded.
DANNY comes out, layered up with clothes. He has her shawl for her.
She holds the Killing Spear out to him.
Remember, Danny, Yadaka said the last part of ya manhood test was ya first kill.
Beat.
He marches toward her.
DANNY: But I failed. I didn’t bring them home safe.
She knows his intention is to break the spear.
DROVER’S WIFE: Danny, don’t
.
She keeps it from him.
This time you will bring ya brothers and sister to safety.
She hands him the spear. He takes it, staring out to YADAKA.
She grabs her Martini Henry rifle and duffle bags.
Come.
DANNY a little reluctant.
Danny, come.
DANNY still not too sure. She looks out.
Feel that stillness, Danny. That sharp cold.
She takes a deep breath.
That sting in the air …
She looks up and it begins to snow. She closes her eyes, welcoming it.
It’s here … [the snow]. She’s speakin’ to us, Danny.
Long beat.
DANNY: Ma.
DROVER’S WIFE: Gotta get my children back. That’s our family. That’s what family do.
DANNY: Then what?
DROVER’S WIFE: Mountains.
DANNY: The cold will kill us.
DROVER’S WIFE: There’s a cave, supplies, and in the spring … people.
Come.
Danny.
DANNY: Ma …
DROVER’S WIFE: [low, urgent, emotional] Danny, please! We’ll make it.
I promise.
With his spear in his hand, DANNY finally walks to his mother’s side. She places an arm around his shoulders, her faithful Martini Henry by her side.
And when ya’re old enough, son …
I’ll introduce you to Robert Parsen and John McPharlen.
They step out to depart.
Blackout.
THE END
COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
First published in 2016
by Currency Press Pty Ltd,
PO Box 2287, Strawberry Hills, NSW, 2012, Australia
[email protected]
www.currency.com.au
Reprinted 2017.
This revised edition first printed 2017.
Copyright: The Drover’s Wife © Leah Purcell, 2013, 2016, 2017.
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