A Dry Argument.

I am Doctor Jason Reeds GP. My wife is Doctor Karren Reeds Vet Sci. We live and practice across the road from the driest pub in Australia.

I sat waiting for Karren, at the back of the front bar. Mrs. Mary Simms pushed a trolley in with the last of her stock. She’s ninety years old. Our shop is now closed, even from here I could see a tear on her cheek. She argued with Aaron Stephenson over the cost, but a deal was done. He said to sit near the Dock’s table. It’s a quiet corner, away from the fights.

Tempers were short, and Tony Lockart, yelling at Mary to get him a beer, lost it completely when told that there was no beer or wine, spirits were in short supply. Mien host has banned the sale of spirits in daylight hours, so people can go back to work and stop dehydration, at my suggestion. Tony left in a huff, kicking a dog, near the door, on his way out. The kid who owned the dog fell over when it landed on him. I got up and moved to the door, with half the patrons. Toby’s parents ran from the Lounge section to help him. I asked him if he was ok, and all he said was Charley won’t move, help him!

There was a great deal of yelling, out the front. Mien host jumped the bar and ran to the door, yelling, don’t kill the prick and don’t break the windows. As people returned they helped us pick up Toby and Charley. Karren walked in carrying an old Gladstone bag, the grapevine’s faster than the internet here. I looked up, “Hello Doctor,” she smiled saying, “Hello Doctor, is Toby all right?”

“No bleeding, just winded, Charley landed on top of him. Your patient may have a dislocated hip and broken ribs. While Kelly sedated the dog, I asked if Toby wanted a red can or a yellow can. He answered coherently, his eyes were clear and stable, and a quick tickle confirmed no broken ribs. I gave him a yellow can of soft drink, and his mother reluctantly approved

Susan Hobbs, a young school teacher at her first school, brought the rest of the school in for lunch. She was limping a bit. One of Toby’s friends said she got pushed over by dickhead Lockfart. He kicked her and she cried for a long time. He then went and lifted her dress so we could all see the bruising on her inner legs. Susan protested, pushing him away, while she did this her shirt fell open revealing a damaged bra and bruised breasts.

Mrs Simms walked over with an ice pack, “Put this in your panties and sit on this,” as she gave her a towel.

After lunch, Toby’s dad picked up Charley and I helped Susan across the road to the surgery. Mrs Simms followed us.

Karren told Toby we may have to keep Charley overnight to keep checking him. Mrs Simms kept Susan company talking to her. I walked past a few times to check on her. She was stable, and not feeling sick. Mrs Simms said she could hold a conversation with no apparent giddiness. “Things are looking good, I don’t want sick people staying here.”Susan looked surprised but didn’t argue. She was even more surprised when I asked if she was pregnant as we went for a set of X-rays. “Radiation may damage any new foetus.” The X-rays only showed a crack in a rib, it is still in alignment. Toby’s parents came in through the back door, surprising Karren. They had two bags of clothes. Toby couldn’t be convinced to leave Charley. Two rooms were set up and we all went over for dinner. With no beer the town has also run out of gas and the diesel generator fuel is down to fifty per cent. hence, the whole town is eating at the pub. There are only fifty families permanently in town these days.

With the mine being dry and now the town is dry the single men are getting board and causing trouble. After most people had eaten their meals, apart from an argument about Brussels sprouts, things were quiet tonight.

Tony came in with a couple of his mates, mouthing off about Leso’s needing a good fuck. Aaron heard this and immediately rang the police and an ambulance. He then called someone and was in a panic, “It’s been over a month since we ran dry, we have a town of alcoholics, with raging hangovers, and someone is going to be lynched tonight because of this issue..

At the same time, Allen and his husband walked in went up to the bar and asked for a couple of pie floaters. Tony made a remark about poofters and Leso’s.

Allen’s husband said, “There’s a rumour going around that you got some footy practice today.”

“It’s not illegal,” said Tony.

Constable Stephen Jones leaned in between and said, “Does the vet still treat animals after hours?” Loud enough for the whole pub to hear. Most of the men moved to the doors some pulled the bar shutters down and the shutters at the lounge end of the bar.

Tony looked at Allen as Allen said, “It depends on what you use as a football, pretty teachers are hard to find.

Tony, “What’s a faggot like you going to do about it.” as he turned to start to throw a punch. Allen then hit him in the face. That huge left hand broke his cheek and jaw. Karren picked up her bag and walked over to Tony. One of his mates threatened her when she pulled out a large horse syringe. Toby’s dad punched him in the stomach, he looked surprised. Tony came too, to see Karren standing over him with the horse syringe, he panicked, and Karren then said he would have to be sedated to minimise damage. He fainted.

The Police took all three of them to the police helicopter after I checked them out and revived Tony. I then signed the log. They were eventually charged with assault and several stalking charges.

Stephen came into the pub a couple of days later and announced that a road train was on its way with food, gas and a tanker of diesel will be here tomorrow. The politicians are sending someone to explain what is happening.

It took a week for a politician to face the town. I was asked to tell her what happened in the town, I didn’t hold back on my opinion, especially after we were told that it was good for us. She didn’t understand that the pub was the heart of the town. Her views were not welcome, especially since the local population never had a drinking problem. Trouble only happens when outsiders interfere with things. The trouble a couple of weeks ago was caused by a dickhead that was sober. While she was in town a fight broke out out the front of the pub. It was caused by an affair going on and the woman’s husband being the butt of a humiliating verbal attack. This would normally result in her husband getting drunk and sleeping in a gutter. This time he put her lover in hospital for several months with major trauma to the face and groin and bruising to the heart. I performed surgery to stop the bleeding and help him breathe. I was assisted by Karren, Susan and Mary. This was all logged, while a surgeon supervised the procedure over the internet. It was the first time our operating theatre had been used in three years. Due to the weather, it still took several hours for the flying doctor to get their helicopter here. Our Honourable Member was dismayed when she heard the woman involved was derided in the pub for not supporting her husband, mostly by other women. She has now lost her husband and a lover. At lunch, Karren and I checked a couple of black eyes, and a broken nose was booked to be reset. At lunch, I told our Member that this bullshit is hurting people and might even kill the town. She left that afternoon to go and report to the Premier. This is one case for not banning alcohol. The bridge was bypassed a week after she left. There was still no beer for two weeks which kept us busy. There were two divorces and three temporary separations. Aaron, the publican, has lost heaps of money. The town isn’t big enough to support a restaurant without a license. No tourists are using this road.