In the blink of an eye: Samuel Kidman
I was crossing Elizabeth street, waiting at the lights, when a young aboriginal boy started talking to his father. The boy would have been about 8 or 9 years old, his father about 30 perhaps. The boy was neat and tidy and a small lad, and he was carrying one of those supermarket shopping bags and I could see a towel. He had a large baseball style cap. It was red and blue. His dad was I'd say 6 foot 3 inches with a large belly. He had a three day growth and was dressed in khaki shirt and shorts. He was also very neat for a warm Sunday afternoon.
I was right behind them and listened to what they were saying. It sounded like water running in a creek.
'You was talking about old Jack, dad. Well you know they found him dead.'
'I know he's dead. Dead as can be.'
'I know something about him.'
'What's that son?'
'He had lead in his belly.'
The boy's father laughed, but not unkindly.
'Son, you can't say that old Jack was shot because that wouldn't be true. He was old, about 60 years old, that's why they called him old Jack. He died because he had nothing more in him.'
'But he did have something in him, dad. He had lead in his belly.'
'Someone shot old Jack? Well that just can't be true.'
'It's not true, dad, but he died because of he had lead in his belly. I heard my aunties talking about it with my grandmother. Am I staying at my grandmother's house tonight?'
'You stay with me, son. Now what is that about the lead in his belly? You tell what they was talking about, all the lead.'
'They was saying that they found a whole lot of lead in his belly from when he worked in that old lead factory.'
'Old Jack did work in that factory. It was around here but it closed like 20 years ago. Jesus...'
'They said he had about 20 bullets worth in his belly. That's why he stopped going.'
'Stopped going?'
'Why he stopped working, that's what killed him. It poisoned him.'
'Right. Is this the shortest way to the pool? I reckon we could cut through the oval and go up them back streets and we'd be there in about 10 minutes.'
'I don't like going that way.'
'It's fine in the day, son. I'm with you.'
'Can we just walk up Redfern Street? I like that way better and then we can walk down George Street and it's no worries.'
'Whatever you want. But it will take longer.'
They were silent for about two minutes.
'Dad, are you coming for a swim too?'
'I reckon I might if the sun stays out.'
'It's warm in the sun.'
'Sure is, son. That's why I'm going for a swim. Is it a big pool?'
'Big enough for your big belly.'
Dad laughed out loud and they kept walking. I turned into Great Buckingham street.
I was right behind them and listened to what they were saying. It sounded like water running in a creek.
'You was talking about old Jack, dad. Well you know they found him dead.'
'I know he's dead. Dead as can be.'
'I know something about him.'
'What's that son?'
'He had lead in his belly.'
The boy's father laughed, but not unkindly.
'Son, you can't say that old Jack was shot because that wouldn't be true. He was old, about 60 years old, that's why they called him old Jack. He died because he had nothing more in him.'
'But he did have something in him, dad. He had lead in his belly.'
'Someone shot old Jack? Well that just can't be true.'
'It's not true, dad, but he died because of he had lead in his belly. I heard my aunties talking about it with my grandmother. Am I staying at my grandmother's house tonight?'
'You stay with me, son. Now what is that about the lead in his belly? You tell what they was talking about, all the lead.'
'They was saying that they found a whole lot of lead in his belly from when he worked in that old lead factory.'
'Old Jack did work in that factory. It was around here but it closed like 20 years ago. Jesus...'
'They said he had about 20 bullets worth in his belly. That's why he stopped going.'
'Stopped going?'
'Why he stopped working, that's what killed him. It poisoned him.'
'Right. Is this the shortest way to the pool? I reckon we could cut through the oval and go up them back streets and we'd be there in about 10 minutes.'
'I don't like going that way.'
'It's fine in the day, son. I'm with you.'
'Can we just walk up Redfern Street? I like that way better and then we can walk down George Street and it's no worries.'
'Whatever you want. But it will take longer.'
They were silent for about two minutes.
'Dad, are you coming for a swim too?'
'I reckon I might if the sun stays out.'
'It's warm in the sun.'
'Sure is, son. That's why I'm going for a swim. Is it a big pool?'
'Big enough for your big belly.'
Dad laughed out loud and they kept walking. I turned into Great Buckingham street.
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