Chapter 8

Mitchell’s Creek, Sunny Corner, New South Wales, Australia:8

The hike back to the Trooper was an interesting experience. Jim is well known in the prospecting community. The creek was lined with prospectors ... on the way to our dig there were plenty of -G, day Mate- greetings. Lots of comments on the day and Jim’s new partner ... me. We had to stop now and again and explain even the simplest actions.

On the way back, it was like we were invisible. Not one person spoke or even looked at us. Several people looked through us but no hint of recognition.

“Disconcerting,” I said.

“What?”

“We’re invisible,” I stated.

“They’re just busy,” Jim said.

“Okay,” I said ... but it wasn’t.

There was more going on than meets the eye ... because we weren’t ... meeting the eye ... any eye. I wondered if the animals noticed our passing ... not that there were any animals in hearing distance. The noise along the creek was loud. Kids playing, moms yelling or chatting up the neighbors, motors running, men swearing at empty pans or exclaiming at a picker or a nugget ... LOUD ... no animals.

At the carpark the few people still in attendance were unloading or loading, spreading rumors, or looking in the back of trucks to see what could be stolen. The 6 bags were piled by the tailgate. They were close to 45 kilos each ... more or less ... but untouched. Still double tied but left alone. We watched one of the sneakers trip over the pile, got up and dusted himself off. He never looked to see what had laid him in the dirt.

Jim and I walked to the Trooper, unlocked the back and relieved ourselves of our burdens. We each had one beer from the “after” cooler and loaded up equipment and buckets, the bags went in last. We had a bite and a sip, started the truck and folks waved at us.

“G’day mate.”

“Day-ee.”

“Late start? Staying the night?”

They flocked us. Jim is popular ... but, today, it was all about the UFO seen in the vicinity. Several reported it to the TV and radio news. Interesting. Since we had seen it upclose and personal the descriptions bandied about were hilarious. Arguments about size, color and noise broke out.

“Didn’t see it,” Jim said.

“We were working,” I said.

We made our excuses, got loose and headed out.

Once out on the road and a few kilometers away, Jim said, “Look up.”

I did.

An Australian Defense Force Tiger attack helicopter thundered by going full bore towards Mitchell’s creek. It was followed by an MRH 90 troop transport helicopter with two more Tigers as escorts.

“That’s set the cats among the pigeons,” said Jim. “We won’t be going to Mitchell’s for awhile.”

He started laughing.

“They seemed like nice people,” I said, after Jim calmed down.