I had wandered into the Stockmans’ Bar
on that Thursday afternoon.
It was late in the day, and come what may
the first “coldie” would be real soon.
Kausey and I had seen the Ekka
and now we faced the bar:
Two Carlton mid strengths ordered then –
mindful of the car.
I had the money in my hand –
the Barman reached to grab,
when a lovely young woman beside me said:
“put it on my tab!!”
Kausey and I laughed out loud,
thinkin’ it a joke,
then I thought “I must be dreamin”
and hoped I’d not be woke!
Her name was Kate; a country girl
from south of Grafton bred.
Worked around Rockhampton,
“then travelled south,” she said.
Young and lovely, lean and fit,
dark eyes, and mind so clever,
Kausey and I, drank real slow
so the drink would last forever.
A genuine interest in our work
was evident, that day.
Kate told us of her brother,
on a farm out Springsure way.
We shared a “Bushie” poem
about old fashioned ways
and she said her father worked with words,
in his latter days.
She also had an interest,
in our drinking taste –
relaxed and easy conversation:
certainly no haste.
A Marketing Executive,
was how Kate came across,
then the pieces fell in place:
Fosters group, her Boss!
We shouted Kate a beer in turn
and then went on our way.
We all expressed our pleasure
at the time we’d spent that day.
Thank you, Kate, for the drink
and the time in conversation –
while Fosters works with folks like you,
they’ll do well across the nation.
© Dennis Scanlon – Aug 2005