Lightning Strikes the Ridge

a treatise on the myth of true blue mateship of the australian outback culture, cobber

a piece of iron that someone prised
no breeze moves it round
it's the east wall of our lounge room
ominously hanging down
someone tried to wreck our dream
in this town where friends abound
I'm angry! who would do this thing?
I hope a friend comes round
         
Brian was there to cut the deck
and be our bridge for now
we shuffled to his kitchen
and he dealt us out some chow
         
come into my parlour
I'll show my Cassius cuisine
I never eat the stuff myself
I am hungry; I am lean
         
I'm a very famous chef you know
and worked here and there and where
the food's too dear to contemplate
he made mornay from thin air
         
It kinda tasted tuna-ish
but like I'd never had before
but Brian didn't eat it
just maitre-de'd the floor
         
there's a lot of flu about you know
but you haven't got it yet
but every single guest I've had
has flaked out (or got dead)
         
something I meant to ask you guys
If you get too sick to travel
would you like to sign your shack to me?
the legals I'll unravel
         
probably get you several grand
that you can share with Tone
I'll deal with you here and now Maria
and Tony on the phone
         
We'll not pay in dollars 
though there's heaps of those around
and the only one's not millionaires 
are you guys new in town
         
We prefer to pay in colour 
or in jewelry that I've hoarded
for a rainy day Oh here's the plane
It's time that Tony boarded
         
Tony's gone to Dubbo Base
plasts and grams and test
but I'll be back Montgomery
once I've had a rest
         
Too innocent for the opal west
not skeptical not a bit
come in Mr nice guy
we'll chew you up and spit
         
Sky's Percy is malfunctioning
it should feel good not bad
we just ate Brian's dinner
it's the only thing we've had
         
"I deny that I've been poisoned!"
as he gently rubbed his head
"just lost my sensibilities
and fell in and out of bed"
         
"Must be the flu like Brian said
I believe everything he states
but I'm a bit concerned about Maria's nose
and hope the bleeding soon abates!"
         
now we nurse each other
there's that flu that's going round
but it's disappointment self-imposed
of the friends we thought we'd found
         
we'll think of Brian's future guests
and recall his cooking fuss
the food and deals for nice guys
 a miner, mining us