Remember Ronald Ryan (4 page)

Authors: Barry Dickins

RYAN
: Why do you like me, Mrs Hurley? If that's not a rude question.

MRS
HURLEY
: You give life.

RYAN
: I'll remember you said that.

The mates awake in the middle of the night. They are sweating.

POLICE RADIO
: To cancel these roadblocks ring Swan Hill 21180. 1868 hours to all regional stations. To press liaison office for publicity, body at City Mortuary. Notice to all suburban trains. Message from man (hung up) Ryan may go to 3 Hunter Street Hawthorn. 1534 hours check address of George Gardiner of 14 Raglan Street Port Melbourne. Check address of Mr X and Mr X had a telephone call to the effect that he has informed on Ryan. I have arranged to guard his present address. I believe escapees may be at 38 Dryer Street South Melbourne.

RYAN
: Fuck, it's hotter than one with the lot.

WALKER
: Let's bail out. It might be a trap.

RYAN
: Back on the frog.

WALKER
: Back on the frog.

RYAN
: You are my load. My lovely load.

They crash to sleep in their makeshift home. They talk to one another as if boys.

What would you like to be remembered for, Peter?

WALKER
: That I won the Stawell Gift. On one leg.

RYAN
: Do you know how I'd like to be remembered?

WALKER
: No.

RYAN
: The Man who Loved his Wife and Family.

POLICE RADIO
: To Victoria Dock check
Princess of Tasmania
. Walker friendly with a man at Cobram. 1618 hours Walker possible in second-last car on train due at Malvern. Smithfield Road near abattoirs men seen changing clothes in a Vanguard. No sign of Vanguard. No sign in Smithfield Road when we passed there. Checking racecourse area. 1637 hours interstate message to Sydney and Adelaide from Civic Taxi driver got it from an interstate truck driver who saw the Vanguard twenty minutes ago. Check Footscray Flemington area. A-1 and A-2 both have gas and carbines on board.

RYAN
and
WALKER
excitedly chat about their past lives, trying to settle down for the night.

WALKER
: Are you awake?

RYAN
: Awake-up to you.

WALKER
: What are you thinking about?

RYAN
: The mighty Murrumbidgee.

WALKER
: You're kidding.

RYAN
: I lived there after the Boys Home. It's funny how things come back.

WALKER
: When you never expect them to.

RYAN
: Everything's been so hectic lately.

WALKER
: You're not wrong, Ron.

RYAN
: We've both crossed over the line.

WALKER
: It was inevitable, what happened.

RYAN
: I suppose we'll both hang.

RYAN
: Three years I lived there, on the banks of the Mighty Murrumbidgee. Balranald, funny name. When I politely vanished from the Boys Home I met Mr Smith, of Balranald.

WALKER
: Anyone else would believe you, Ron.

RYAN
: I heard there was work.

WALKER
: That's not like you.

They laugh.

RYAN
: Work cutting sleepers for the New South railways. Ron and George Smith took me in, for a time. I boarded with old Sam. Good people they are, probably still living up there. Sleeping among the red gums like kids. George showed me how to hit the wedges in. You had to split them in two. You looked at a tree to see how many you could get out of it. We ate bunnies and sipped a single shandyâat the end of the week. I suppose there was something noble in slave labour like that. I got around with Wingy.

WALKER
: Who was Wingy?

RYAN
: My half-brother with half a body. He lost an arm, run over by a tram as a child. Christ, he was strong though, he worked harder than most of them, good with the axe was Wingy, he used to sip grog like this.

He shows the drinking style of Wingy.

I used to take their pay from them after work. Poker. Aces from the bottom of the deck. Like taking milk off a baby.

WALKER
: You'll have me crying in a minute.

RYAN
: My first job was at Balranald. I cased the Commercial Bank. Hit the boss over the noggin with my rifle and broke it in half and he never even fell over. They fired at me.

WALKER
: That's a bit rude.

RYAN
: I took off.

WALKER
: Can't say as I blame you.

RYAN
: Swam the Murrumbidgee and burnt my clothes in someone's incinerator.

WALKER
: How scientific.

RYAN
: I got into my bed at home with my underpants on.

WALKER
: Good thinking.

RYAN
: When the jacks called, Mum said I'd been asleep all night. How could they prove otherwise?

WALKER
: You could've got three years for that.

RYAN
: Yes, I've always been tinny, haven't I?

WALKER
: I'm English. I came over by boat.

RYAN
: Then you're a practising masochist.

WALKER
: All the world's a prison.

RYAN
: And all the prisoners merely dickheads.

They light smokes.

I don't know what's wrong with me. People help me and I betray them. I don't think anyone in Balranald will cry for me. But if I was up there they'd take me in. And you. That's how it is in the bush. My old lady and old man used to be cupboard drinkers. They'd prop me up all night sipping ten-bob horror. I suppose it was like TV. I think of them. I suppose I love them.

WALKER
: I think Wingy was the best of the lot. We're all Wingy, aren't we?

RYAN
: The Murrumbidgee. Clean, faithful. Like Dorothy. Before we got greedy. I fucking wished I'd married a tram conductress.

WALKER
: Sleep, mate. It's late. In the morning I'll shout you a root.

RYAN
: Goodnight, mate. Are we in troubleâ¦?

Slow fade to black.

POLICE RADIO
: Possibly Walker will head to Footscray area re a Bobby Coleman of 11 Primrose Street Essendon who he threatened when he gets out. Woodend Road block. Seen nothing. No luck on train.

RYAN
: What a lot of fuss.

Musical bridgeâMozart music interlude fades to Sunday tea at Dorothy's parents' mansion, Mr Harold George's residence. Posh. Mozart.
MRS GEORGE
.
MR GEORGE
.
DOROTHY
sipping broth at 7:00 p.m. Seven gongs. Then
GOUGH
, the butler, presents beef broth for three. All politely sip soup.

DOROTHY
: What would occur if broth arrived at one minute past seven?

MRS GEORGE
: [
sipping her broth
] That would be the end.

MR
GEORGE
: What did you do after work, my love?

MRS GEORGE
: I don't have to work. You're a Mason.

MR GEORGE
: I mean what did Dorothy do, darling?

DOROTHY
: Well, I work with you. I don't know what you mean, Father.

MR GEORGE
: How is your young man going. Ron, is that it?

MRS GEORGE
: How common Ron is. Who ever heard of Ron? It sounds incorrect.

DOROTHY
: He makes wheels for Olympic Tyres, Mother.

MR GEORGE
: We need wheels. You can't roll anywhere without them. I immensely like Ron.

DOROTHY
: [
kissing her father
] Good on you, Dad.

MR GEORGE
: [
feeling the kiss from his happy daughter
] Good on me, Dad.

MRS
GEORGE
rings
GOUGH
for broth removal.

MRS GEORGE
: Off broth, Gough!

GOUGH
picks up broth cups, exits silently.

MR GEORGE
: [
staring after
GOUGH
] I like Gough.

MRS GEORGE
: Where does Ron abide, dear?

DOROTHY
: In heaven, Mother.

MR GEORGE
: Our darling Dorothy is certainly smitten, Mother.

MRS GEORGE
: Olympic Wheels and walking back to Footscray. I have the gravest doubts about this human. Darling, why couldn't you obtain a sweet and suitable young accountant named Ian? I have always trusted Ians. They are as reliable as rain.

MR GEORGE
: And equally depressing. I loathe Ians. Ians aren't much chop at building hearses. I have let go several Ians.

Lights go out, Mozart up,
DOROTHY
out.
MR
and
MRS GEORGE
stare at each other.

[
To himself
] It's hard to know what to say when you live like us.

Courtship scene with
RYAN
and
DOROTHY
. They are strolling along the Yarra Bank. Yarra Bank birds are heard splashing of the water.

DOROTHY
: Mother thinks you're a larrikin.

RYAN
: I honestly do not know how she has formed that opinion. I have always liked her.

DOROTHY
: The clothes don't matter.

RYAN
: Oh, yes they do.

DOROTHY
: My family are straitlaced, Ron.

RYAN
: Your old man's the Mayor of Hawthorn, isn't he?

DOROTHY
: A man has to do something with his time.

RYAN
: My love for you is something of my time.

DOROTHY
: Do you love me?

RYAN
: I do.

DOROTHY
: Even though you work at Olympic Tyres in Footscray?

RYAN
: Especially because.

DOROTHY
: I love you, Ron, I really do. You're peculiar.

RYAN
: I will keep you in the furs that you are expected.

DOROTHY
: God bless you, Ron.

RYAN
: Someone has to.

They walk off, arm in arm.
RYAN
looks at his cigarette and stamps it out.

One day they won't be Turf.

It is Sunday tea at Mr and Mrs George's palatial residence in Brighton.
GOUGH
serves Hermitage, chilled Riesling. Those present at table include
MR GEORGE
,
MRS GEORGE
,
DOROTHY
george
and
RYAN
, in his best threads. The atmospherics are not exactly George Formby. It is boiling hot. A fan twirls deliriously.

GOUGH
: Riesling, Ron?

RYAN
: How do you pronounce it? Riesling or Rhysling?

GOUGH
: With a hard âe'.

RYAN
: Riesling. Alright, I'll partake of a white Riesling, Gough.

GOUGH
: It's Riesling or Reez-ling.

RYAN
: Make it Hock. [
To everyone
] It's all the same to yours truly.

MRS GEORGE
: A superb cut of garment, Ronald dear.

RYAN
: Not a bad bag of fruit.

MR GEORGE
: And how are your chums at Olympic Tyres?

RYAN
: For black men they are white men.

RYAN
laughs, sips his wine.
DOROTHY
holds
RYAN
's hand as he sips his wine.

MRS GEORGE
: And what exactly do you do with your Olympic Wheels?