The Long Way Home by Phillip Overton
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Outside the rain had stopped falling. Night had settled in, and the only sounds to be heard came from the sloshing of tyres on the wet road as cars passed by only one block away. Occasionally a train could be heard as it approached the station. First it would sound its horn on the long causeway leading over Brisbane Water, a huge natural body of water around which Gosford and its surrounding areas wrapped itself. Then a roar like distant thunder as the train passed over the steel deck girder bridge in the middle of the bay. Finally, another blast of the horn as the train slowed through the rail yard behind the football oval and disappeared around the hill before making its scheduled stop at the station. It was a procession of sound that lasted all through the night, the droning whine of the electric trains caught within the surrounding mountain ridges.
Tonight the street stood silent. People in their homes were tucked away from the dreary September weather, nestled in their lounge rooms in front of the television, finishing their dinner, washing the dishes or putting their children to bed. Then all hell broke loose from the white weatherboard house at the end of the street.
“What?” The scream came from Rowena, loud enough to be clearly heard outside. “How could you be so stupid?”
Inside Doug had already tried to explain things calmly to Rowena and it hadn’t worked. He now raised his voice back. “I told you it wasn’t my fault. I couldn’t see this coming, none of us could. There were seven of us laid off Rowena, seven people. Do you think any of us had an idea of what was going on? Do you?”
“But why you?” Her voice sounded more upset with each passing minute. “You’ve got a family and a mortgage. Why not someone else?”
“Yeah like I had any say in it. I told you, department restructure. The council is transferring all records in my department onto a data base, they need computers not people.”
“And you’re too stupid to know how to use one are you?” She snapped back. “What are my parents going to think Doug?”
“Don’t start that with me,” he yelled back. “I was a clerk, that’s all. I know that being a clerk in the manual records department didn’t measure up to what your Daddy wanted for you but who cares? It doesn’t matter anymore.”
“Well you must be an idiot to lose a good job at the council.” She let loose. “How are we supposed to live now Doug? Hey, tell me how are you going to feed your son? Have you thought about that?” As if on cue, Simon started crying from the nursery at the end of the hallway.
“Don’t be so ungrateful Rowena.”
“Stuff you Doug! You don’t seem to care about this family.”
“Rubbish! I’ll find another job because that’s what I do, I provide. I take good care of you and I do it with all your bitching and complaining.”
“I’m trying to raise a kid you bastard! Think about that for a second.”
“And you’re not coping with it.”
“Go to hell!” She was screaming at him now, her face growing red with rage as she stormed off toward the kitchen. Simon was in a loud crying fit, and the sound of his wailing tantrum filled the house. Surely that was Doug’s fault too, he’d brought this whole evening down upon everyone. “I hate you!”
“What is wrong with you woman? I’m the one who lost my job. I’m the one who should have a right to be angry, not you.” He followed her into the kitchen, where she stopped with her back to him and leant hard against the kitchen bench. “Look at yourself, this isn’t right Rowena. I shouldn’t have to put up with this…”
“Leave me alone,” she cut him off. Turning sharply towards him she grabbed madly at a saucepan on the kitchen bench and let it fly.
Doug looked up in time to see a blurring streak of silver make a line straight to his face, but wasn’t quick enough to bring his hand up and cover it defensively. It flew with a full force into his forehead.