Chapter 17

Preparation for Christmas took on a new urgency, some of the boys cut a tree and set it up in the mess. With a bit of urging Fred dipped into petty cash and paid for some decorations. Jess mixed up some flour paste and her and the boys started to make up paper chains, it wasn't long before they had enough to decorate the hall.

One of the Polish boys told us that when he was a kid the family decorated the walls with small boughs of fir and dressed them with berries. We didn't have berries but there were bottle brush and wattle flowers so they set about collecting them. When they had finished the mess hall looked entirely different and Jess was telling everyone what a great job they had done.

I asked the boys if they wanted a traditional Christmas dinner with roast pork and all the trimmings or would they prefer a cold meal of ham and salads. They surprised me by unanimously insisting on the ham salad.

"Tony, it will probably be bloody hot on Christmas day, we will probably have hangovers from Charlie's barbeque and you should have an easy day yourself, even with the salads it's still a lot of work."

"I don't mind the extra work to do the roast, though I must admit having a hot meal on a hot day does seem a bit silly, so cold it is and thanks for thinking about me and Dom."

...

Christmas eve, all the tools and machinery had been put away, there was a one week break and everyone was looking forward to Charlie's barby. Jess was like a cat with two bums, she didn't know which one to lick first. She must have tried on just about every dress in her wardrobe.

"How does this one look Tony, do you think I should wear these shoes with it, is the hem too low?..."and so on.

"Jess you would look lovely in a spud bag, everything you have shown me looks great on you, keep in mind that the barby's being held outside so wear shoes that won't mind a bit of dirt on them."

"Hrmmp, you men have no sense of fashion, I'll just have to work it out for myself." She disappeared into her room, a short while later I heard.

"How does this one look Tony?" Sometimes you just can't win.

Eventually she decided on a flowery summer dress that suited her petite figure, her honey blond hair was tied back in a ribbon, she had just a trace of makeup on and she looked devastating."

"Jess, you look absolutely stunning, will you allow me to be your escort for the party?"

"I thought you were never going to ask me, yes Tony, I would love to have you escort me, thank you."

"Jess, the pleasure is all mine."

Ernie tooted his horn and we were ready to leave. As we stepped out the door he tossed the car keys to me.

"Will you drive Tony? I intend on having a few drinks, I know you don't drink too much so it would be safer if you were behind the wheel on the way home."

"Right Ernie, I will probably have a couple of beers but I must admit I didn't enjoy that nasty hangover I got when the boys welcomed me back from the army, I won't be in any hurry to repeat that experience."

Charlie's farm was about two miles down the road from the camp. It wasn't long before we were driving over his cattle grid and up the drive way. Dom was already there and Cheryl and him greeted us.

Cheryl knew Jess but she hadn't met Ernie before. When I introduced them Cheryl shook his hand.

"Ernie, you must have been very young when Jess was born, if I didn't know I would have doubted you were her father."

"Why thank you Cheryl, you make an old man feel young again., it's very good for the ego, even if it isn't true."

While we were talking Sheila and a young man came over, she gave me a kiss.

"How's my favourite hamburger man Tony?"

"Fine thanks Sheila, who's your friend?"

"Tony, I would like you to say hello to my fiancé Rodney, we got engaged last week."

"Hello Rodney, Congratulations, if you don't mind me saying so, you are one very lucky man, Sheila is not only a good looker, she has a wicked sense of humour, a great combination."

Thanks Tony, I've been on the end of some of that humour so I know what you mean."

"Tony's the head cook at the CRB camp Rodney, he makes a great hamburger with the lot, don't you Tony?"

"Sure do Sheila, beats the heck out of just the plain old meat patty."

Dom had a bit of a chuckle about me being the head cook, "Rodney, Sheila's kind of exaggerating about the head cook thing, there's only one cook and Tony's it."

"Well then he must be the head cook then, see I was right after all." We all had a bit of a chuckle.

"Jess, lets go and meet a few of the others, I'm sure these men have a lot to talk about, things like 'where's the beer' and other important 'men's business' you know how it is."

I hope Sheila isn't going to wind Jess up too much, I wouldn't put it past her. I was pulled from my thoughts by Rodney.

"How long have you known Sheila Tony?"

"Uh, oh I met her at Charlie's last barby, she seemed a nice girl and we got on quite well."

"She seemed very friendly toward you, I thought that maybe there was something a bit deeper."

"Rodney, I suggest you think very carefully about what you are going to say next, if it's anything that even suggests something happened between Sheila and me I will punch you fuckin head in OK?"

"No no that's not at all what I meant Tony, I love her very much, I just want to know all about her."

"OK, we spent a lot of time together that weekend, she's a very good conversationalist and I enjoyed her company."

We talked a little longer and he then went looking for Sheila, a bit of a twerp I thought, Christ he was almost ready to ask me if I fucked her, what a bloody dill."

Jess came back and I don't think she was too happy. "SHE was one of your 'reputation' women wasn't she?"

"Jess, will you please keep your nose out of my private affairs, it's none of your business."