Chapter 5

David visited after dinner. It was really good to see him without his entourage, though I was sure that mum had something planned for Sunday. I asked him about the vineyards' preparations for locust swarming.

"We weren't badly hit these past few years, though 2000 saw some damage. The fact that we can't use DDT is a problem. With the good rain we've had, summer of '06 might be a killer."

"Dad's worrying about that, too. I told him about the fungus they tried a few years ago."

"Yes. Southwest of us. Seemed to work. I'm not sure whether it would do something to the grapes." He scratched his head. "So you worked out how to make Weena pregnant?"

"Yes. It took a lot of practice, but I think we got it right. I'm putting in a cabbage patch when we get back."

"Cabbage patch?"

"Yeah. I heard that the stork leaves the baby in the cabbage patch and that's where the parents go to get it." David punched me.

"Stop it, boys!" said mum. "I don't know. Weena, don't have two boys. They just fight and play tricks and bring strange animals into the house."

"I never brought home animals," said David.

"Right. Who brought home a bilbie from a school trip to the Diamantina?"

"Oh, once. And I didn't know it was endangered. But how many times did he bring home bugs and things?"

"Stop it!" interjected dad. "Weena, they've been like that for nearly 30 years."

"Anyway," I said. "Getting back to locusts, there's also fenitrothion."

"True. I saw a report on it. I think it's approved for grapes. I've got to go back. We'll see you."

"Not if I see you first!" I responded. I think I started saying that when I was nine or ten. David left, laughing.

"Did he say anything about Sandra?" Weena inquired.

"No. And I didn't ask about the kids, either."

"Men!"

Saturday morning I realised that there was no point in trying to reach Janice — it would have to wait until Monday.

"Want to visit your patient?"

"Later. Maybe around 10:30 or 11. Could we ride over on horseback?"

"I'll ask dad." When I did, he immediately told a stockman to saddle two -- "that mare for Weena" -- for us.

"We won't be gone for more than an hour or so," I said.

We walked the horses for a while and just held hands — not that easy on horseback. The grass smelled nice, but what I could see of the insect life wasn't promising. I wondered what the APLC was doing in preparation.

The Australian Plague Locust Commission is a part of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

When we got nearer the campsite, I realised there was a signal fire burning, but I'd never learned to read smoke. Jacky was feeding grass to the fire as we rode up. Jimmy was sitting up with a blanket about him.

"Hey, Gordy. Hey, Weena," Jacky said.

"'Morning. How do you feel, Jimmy?" asked Weena.

"Me pretty good. Not very crook."

"Drinking tea?"

"Yes, Weena. Taste bad, do good. Jacky bin telling Kullila. Mebbe come visit."

"Isn't that far?" I asked.

"I think it's around 300 kilometres," said Jacky.

"What's Kullila?" asked Weena. "I thought he said Kalchut, yesterday."

All three of us laughed. "There is no Kalchut tribe," I said. "It's a joke. One of Upfield's mysteries involves a Queensland tribe, so Jacky and I picked it up as a term for member of a tribe. Jimmy's a Kullila, from around Cunnamilla or Nockatunga near the border with the Northern Territory."

"Too right!" confirmed Jimmy.

"Let me look at you," Weena said, turning professional. She looked at Jimmy's eyes and felt his cheeks. "Yes. You're doing much better. Tea one or two more times. Jacky, can you find some eggs?"

"Bird or goanna eggs?"

"Doesn't matter. But cook them. No meat for Jimmy for two more days. OK?"

"No problem. Gordy, can I come for tea tomorrow?"

"Of course, just like old times." And we said goodbye and rode off.

When we got home, we learned that David and Sandra and their litter were coming around noon on Sunday and would leave in late afternoon.

"Good! I invited Jacky for tea. Sandra hated him when we were in school." Everyone laughed. After lunch I asked Dad whether I could use his PC. I wanted to look up some stuff on both fungus and on the "new" chemical the ALPC was using. Weena decided to lie down for a bit. Thanks to the satellite connexion, I found what I wanted and printed it out.