Remember Ronald Ryan (6 page)

RYAN
and
WALKER
consult a flashy
SALESMAN
at a car yard.

RYAN
: Hey, mate, would that shitheap get us to Sydney, d'ya reckon?

SALESMAN
: That's a DeSota. It'd get to Indonesia.

RYAN
: Got any rust in it? Does it go?

WALKER
: How much is it? [
To
RYAN
] It's a bit flash, isn't it?

RYAN
: I love flash.

SALESMAN
: Only had one owner. Needs nothing. Hop in. The last bloke who had it didn't want to get rid of it.

RYAN
: Because he pinched it. Give us the keys. Get out of the road.

He hands over a wad of notes. The
SALESMAN
exchanges the money for keys.

WALKER
: Elvis Presley probably drove this thing.

RYAN
: Never mind the paperwork. Come on, hop in. You drive. Let's go.

A newsflash over the car yard radio barks at them.

NEWSFLASH
: Two bandits, believed to be Pentridge escapees, Ronald Ryan and Peter Walker, escaped with over 4,000 pounds in cash.

A huge wheelie is heard as they scream out of the car yard.

RYAN
: Christine Aitken's. Go straight down St Kilda Road.

The flat of Christine Aitken. Loud rock music; Christmas Eve.
RYAN
belts on the door.

CHRISTINE
: You can't come in here. It's Christmas Eve.

RYAN
: You have no say in the matter. Christine my dear. This is Christine, partner, a real charmer. We are desperate men. We are committed.

WALKER
: Just until we have a rest, that's all. Just want a rest, Christine. That's all.

CHRISTINE
: Ah well, in you come.

A party is in progress: various kids and tough types.

FIRST PARTYGOER
: That's a great haircut, mate. Get it in Pentridge?

RYAN
: That's right, kid. Look fantastic, don't I?

They laugh and some kids dance the Twist.
RYAN
is fascinated.

CHRISTINE
: You've done so much time you missed out on the sixties.

WALKER
: What dance step is this? Hey, I like this one!

CHRISTINE
: [
laughing
] It gets to you, doesn't it? It's the Twist!

FIRST PARTYGOER
: And it goes like this…

He dances with his girl. We hear Chubby Checker singing ‘The Twist' loudly.

RYAN
: I can't do that. I've got haemorrhoids. I like it though. Catchy thing.

WALKER
: Jesus, you're good at it.

CHRISTINE
: Come on. Have a go at the Twist. What have you got to lose?

We see
RYAN
dance the Twist: begins tentatively but soon shows his style.
WALKER
claps his hands and cries with laughter and approval at the sight of his fellow escapee dancing this crazy new sensation.

WALKER
: [
crying out
] This is the best thing I've seen in my life, fair dinkum.

RYAN
: [
crying out
] Hey, this is fun!

The music gets louder and goes into a medley of sixties songs. People drink a lot of beer and mime talking to each other: Christine's boyfriend,
ARTHUR
HENDERSON
, comes over to
WALKER
and offers him a beer. Each guest is extravagantly dancing.

HENDERSON
: [
to
WALKER
] She's spoken for.

CHRISTINE
: Oh, take it easy, Arthur. This is a party, remember? Christmas Eve party.

HENDERSON
: She's spoken for, okay, cowboy? Get on your horse.

CHRISTINE
: You don't own me.

WALKER
: [
laughing, sipping his beer
] Sounds like a song.

CHRISTINE
: [
laughing
] Good party, isn't it, cowboy? Jesus, you look like Alan Ladd.

HENDERSON
: I'm Arthur Henderson, mate. What's your name?

JOHN
FISHER
stumbles forward clutching a beer bottle.

FISHER
: Aren't you going to introduce me? John Fisher. How are ya?

FISHER
shakes hands roughly with
WALKER
, spots
RYAN
holding a guitar in the corner. It is silent, the record player is off.

[
To
RYAN
] I know you. We did can together at Bendigo Training Prison.

RYAN
and
FISHER
shake hands roughly.

RYAN
: Sit down, mate. I'll get you a beer.

FISHER
: I've got a beer. Who are you? I know you look like a monkey.

RYAN
: A friend of Christine's. Jungle Jim. Who are you? King Kong?

FISHER
: I can't place you, isn't that strange? You are familiar.

CHRISTINE
: Let's just keep things friendly.

HENDERSON
: Yeah. Who wants a Sao with gherkin relish?

RYAN
: I wouldn't mind one with gherkin relish.

RYAN
moves towards the dips and empty beer bottles.
CHRISTINE
follows him.

Listen, you. This is getting hot. Do as I say or you've had it, right?

CHRISTINE
: I didn't ask you here. Who do you think you are? God?

RYAN
: Let's all just relax and have a good old Christmas drink. Whoever you all are.

RYAN
undoes some St Agnes and tips brandy into many cups.

Wish we had a pudding. Cheers, all. Have some brandy on me.

They all sip their brandy,
WALKER
smoking nervously.

CHRISTINE
: [
handing
RYAN
a guitar
] Can you play?

RYAN
picks up the acoustic guitar and plays ‘Cool Water'.

RYAN
: [
singing
] All day I face the barren waste without the taste of water,

Cool water.

Oh, old Dan and I with throats burnt dry and souls that cry for water,

Cool, clear, water…

People gather around
RYAN
and enjoy his melodious rendition. He plays the instrumental versions and enjoys himself.
FISHER
conspires with
HENDERSON
in the background. They seem to be cooking up some sort of conspiracy as
RYAN
plays.

HENDERSON
: Well, if this is a party, let's go and get some more beer. We'll make it a party to remember, me and you. You look a bit grim, why don't you cheer up?

WALKER
: I'll go. I know a sly in Albert Park. You don't look like Happy Hammond yourself. Now, you want a drink or not? Come with me.

HENDERSON
: I know a closer one. Come on. I'll go with you.

WALKER
: We'll go in my car. I want to return it in. New donk. Three dozen bottles and a carton of Turf.

HENDERSON
: Don't Honk: New Donk. Yeah, I love Turf.

As
HENDERSON
and
WALKER
leave,
RYAN
has a word in
WALKER
's ear.

RYAN
: Watch him. Christine says he's a towie. Got a transmitter in his truck. Don't go on chat-back radio with him.

WALKER
: Yeah well, I'll make sure he doesn't transmit fuckin' anything.

RYAN
: Just keep on your toes, right? Bring the grog and that's all.

WALKER
: [
to
HENDERSON
] You right? Let's go. Who are you talking to? What are you hanging around for? Let's go get the grog, okay?

HENDERSON
: See you all a bit later. And it goes like this…

The Twist up loudly. Exit
WALKER
and
HENDERSON
.

WALKER
and
HENDERSON
are outside a sly grog shop in Albert Park.
WALKER
smokes apprehensively and waits as
HENDERSON
returns with a carton of beer and cigarettes.

HENDERSON
: No risk. They had plenty. [
Holding up a bag
] I feel like plenty. Jesus, I love drink. [
He laughs, kisses the bag of bottles
.] Love the filthy stuff.

They walk
.

My mate Fisher back at Christine's reckons that guitar man is Ronald Ryan. Is this correct? He's worth five thousand pounds reward money. Johnny was at Bendigo Training Prison with him. He'd know, wouldn't he? We are considering putting him into the cops. Want to be in it?

WALKER
: Not a bad idea. You reckon it's him, do you? Are you sure?

HENDERSON
: Yes. John Fisher was in Bendigo Training Prison with him. He knows him. They sniff one another's parts like dogs out there.

WALKER
: I'm not sure you're right. It couldn't be him. Not that man. He seems too ordinary. Like a timber cutter or ex-Army bloke.

HENDERSON
: We are going to be rich fellows. Amazing, isn't it? Just like that. What luck. Fuck pushing tow trucks for a living. This has fallen right out of the blue on me.

He laughs.

WALKER
: No, I reckon it couldn't possibly be him. You're wrong. You're quite wrong, mate. Wrong, Henderson.

HENDERSON
: Who are you?

WALKER
: I'm his mate. Peter Walker. How you going?

HENDERSON
just about drops dead at this news.

HENDERSON
: Let's just drive around for a while and think about it. I need a bit of time to recover. I'm out of breath.

WALKER
: [
producing a bunch of notes
] I'll give you four hundred quid to shut up. Think about that. Forget about Ryan, okay?

HENDERSON
: I need a leak. Let's go into the dunny together. Put that wad away, will you? You're making me toey. I'm a toey anyway.

He laughs nervously. Loud truck and car noises, seagulls.
HENDERSON
and
WALKER
unzip their pants and leak together.

I've had my eye on you, pal. Have you been hanging around my girl, mate? And your mate Ryan. Has he been giving it to her as well? Has he? Come on, confess, you filthy jailbird. You don't scare me, pal. Have you touched her? Four hundred quid, my arse! Who do you reckon you are, God? I'm going to fix you up!

WALKER
: Is that right? Oh, I'm shakin', I'm fuckin' shakin'!

They struggle and a shot takes the toilet light out. Blackout.

RYAN
and
WALKER
sit in the car staring straight ahead. Sipping a beer can, each frightened. The illusion of success as city lights flash by, resembling the heavens.

POLICE RADIO
: Walker wearing baggy trousers. Informant fawn shirt. Division van 25 have suspect car in Dandenong Road. Tower Hotel there is only one man in it. Cancel cars.

POLICE RADIO
: This car is suspect vehicle but not the escapees. Different man from other man at 1 Collingwood Street Newport. No person on the premises not the suspect.

POLICE RADIO
: Mr Wright of Qantas re booking of two tickets to New Zealand. Reply checked by a Ricky Barnett. No resemblance.

POLICE RADIO
: Inspector Holland reply we will still check out the Essendon Aerodrome.

POLICE RADIO
: From Jeff Bell Channel Seven prior to your raid last night at Charles Street St Kilda he is the boyfriend of girl occupant was at the address last night. He is a driver for Melbourne Towing Service and is twenty-eight years five feet ten inches stocky build, crew cut, hair fair no reply car 212.

POLICE RADIO
: 0136 hours from Elsternwick. I have a woman in here by the name of Christine Aitken who states that the escapees shot her boyfriend on the beach and they are in her flat.

POLICE RADIO
: Escapees now driving a Holden panel van grey and Walker has now dyed his hair and eyebrows.

POLICE RADIO
: 2:00 a.m. on Saturday 25th December 1965 Detective Day and Rodgers of car 100 attended at Beaconsfield Parade and Mills Block.

POLICE RADIO
: Ascertained that Arthur Henderson aged 24 years had been victim of shooting by escapee Walker.

POLICE RADIO
: Body certified as dead taken conveyed to and viewed at the City Mortuary.

During the preceding police broadcasts,
WALKER
has changed into a chauffeur.

WALKER
: Do you reckon I look like your chauffeur?

RYAN
: Carry on, Jeeves. And don't spare the horses. See if you can get to Albury in fifteen minutes.

WALKER
: Next stop Sydney, Ronald? Women. Rosehill. New bag of fruit. Hint of immortality.

RYAN
: Wave to the copper. Hey, wave to him. He might be lonely on his Pat Malone. They wouldn't know if you were up them.

They wave to a passing highway
POLICEMAN
.

Hang on. He wants us to pull up.

WALKER
: I better run over him, then.

RYAN
: No, no, no, pull over and piss in his pocket.

Car brakes loudly. Two highway
POLICEMEN
interview
RYAN
and
WALKER
. The police are on motorbikes, which they wheel up to the car.

FIRST
POLICEMAN
: Where you off to?