Wake in Fright

All right, be patient. We're nearly done.

You all did well this year.

I'm proud of each of you.

You all deserve a nice Christmas holiday.

Bye.

- Merry Christmas, Mr Grant! - Hey, careful, Lucas.

Bye. Merry Christmas.

For you, Mr Grant.

Merry Christmas!

Have you worked out what I owe you?

It's a hell of a long drive.

You don't want to stay one more night?

Nah, I'll be right.

I'll get your receipt.

Are you the teacher?

Yeah.

Leavin'?

Yep.

Better pay?

No, pay's about the same.

Better kids?

No.

Better place?

(ON RADIO) Uh, yes, and, uh, what would you do?

Mate, give all them unemployed blokes guns,

bring them out here to shoot the camels,

label the meat 'Persian lamb'

and then sell it to fancy restaurants in Sydney

for 40 bucks a kilo, two problems solved at once...

Looks like Gabby's absolutely...

- (GASPS) - (TYRES SQUEAL)

Shit.

Jesus.

Thought about it too much, that's your problem.

He done a job on that.

What's your plan?

Could you take me somewhere?

Where you wanna go?

I'm trying to get to Sydney.

Well...

you could take your chances hitching from the indie truck stop.

Well, how far is it?

It's a bit of a drive.

I'll have to charge you the return fare.

Say... 400 bucks even.

Oof.

Or I could take you to Bundanyabba.

Nice little hotel.

Vic, the mechanic, he might be able to look over your car tomorrow.

And how far is it to Bundanyabba?

10 minutes.

- Where you from? - Leaving Tiboonda.

You the teacher?

Girlfriend?

Sorry?

Phoning your girlfriend?

Fancy bloke like you, all geed up, looking to get to the big smoke.

Figured you must be blue-balling.

Wouldn't bother, though.

Why's that?

The reception's a bit shit since the mine stopped paying for the booster.

Been to the Yabba before?

- No. - You'll be thanking that roo.

Best little town on earth.

Once you've been to the Yabba

you never want to leave.

Won't be a tick.

Hey, your meter's still running.

Look, I thought you were taking me to the hotel,

- not picking up other passengers. - What's your name, giggles?

John Grant.

Well, John Grant, you're a bit pretty.

Thought we'd stitch you up first.

That'll be $35.50.

Oi! My bags!

Did anyone teach you that roos come out at dusk?

Well, someone should tell the roos that schoolteachers drive at dusk.

I just wanted to get home.

Do you like it?

Sydney?

Teaching.

Some days, sure.

Some days it's the slowest form of torture.

For you or your students?

What kind of man are you, John Grant?

What do you mean?

Ah.

- Coward. - Good to know.

Because we're out of anaesthetic unless you count booze.

I'll survive.

Hi.

Can I help you?

Those are my bags.

I need a room.

Do you have a reservation?

No.

How much is a single?

$239.

Jesus!

No offence, but is there anywhere else in town?

You tell me.

(ON TV) ...junior to open,

combining horse ability and horsemanship.

There's a full canteen all weekend

with a pig on the spit Saturday night...

(ON TV) So it's one not to be missed,

with high-quality bulls on offer...

- Hi. Can I grab a soda water...? - Beer, thanks, Joycey.

Uh, excuse me, can I grab a soda water, please?

Hi. Can I get a soda water, please?

Sorry, postmix is down. Do you want a beer?

- (GLASS SMASHES) - Get him, Con! Come on! Let's go!

How you doing, Luke?

Pretty good, Sarge.

- (GRUNTS) - Yeah.

You think it might be time to go home?

Yes, Sarge.

- Yeah. - (GRUNTS)

- I hit a kangaroo. - Oh.

- When? - Uh, this evening.

Oh.

I don't recall hearing about a motor vehicle accident.

What, did you kill a native animal and not report it, did you?

No, no. I hit it, but I wasn't the one who...

Yeah, yeah. Relax.

You might want to report it if you want to make a claim.

You know those insurance pricks,

they want everything done by the book.

Hey, um, get us two coldies, would you, Joycey?

Oh, I really just want something to eat and a soft drink.

What, you don't want a drink?

Or you can't drink?

Well... Mm.

You know, just one, maybe...

You better get us two more, thanks, Joycey.

No... No. No.

I really think I ought to eat something.

Hey. Jock Crawford.

John. Grant.

Ah! The teacher.

Yeah? What, you driving to Sydney, were you,

when you, uh... hit that roo?

Yeah. I'm taking up another position in Neutral Bay.

Didn't quite adapt to country living, eh?

Yeah.

I rea... I really should eat something.

Yeah, well, they don't serve dinner here.

Oh.

So, what do you reckon of the Yabba, John Grant?

Yeah, well...

it's classy.

Yeah.

Yeah, we're pretty simple folk here.

Two more, thanks, Joycey.

- Sergeant, I really... - Nah, don't worry about it.

I get mine for free when I'm on the job.

Yeah.

Go on.

Drink up. I've got something interesting to show you.

You know, the Yabba, John...

is the best little town on earth.

Yeah, that's the game in there.

Two-up.

You know, since they pulled the pokies out of here

and with the mine in maintenance mode,

folks have gotta amuse themselves somehow.

Is that legal?

Oh, legal? Christ, I don't know about that.

But if the, um, pokies were, I'm sure that should be.

Blokes have gotta let off steam.