enough seats to fill another canoe and we have a regatta coming up this weekend so we need to train with full crews this week. Would you mind if I asked you to come back next week and I guarantee you will get a seat for a trial run then?”
“Sure, Bundy is it?” Kylie asked.
“Yes love.”
“Do you have a thirst for a certain amber spirit mate?”
“Yessssssss, you could say that.”
“And I thought you were Shooters as in guns but I think it might be drinks? Am I right or am I right?”
Shooters eyes widened as she rubbed her hands together and gave a mischievous, “Correct!”
Bundy answered for her, “You have NO idea! Shooters can drink any man, woman or grog monster under the table when it comes to shooters. She’s famous for it. When you come away with us be sure to say NO to a shout from her. It always ends in a bad way for the newbie.”
“Roger that,” Kylie acknowledged her.
“Ha! Roger that. Sorry again ladies, come back next week for sure okay!” said Bundy.
“Yep,” said Kylie.
“Okay,” said Jess.
Shooters then said, “Hey, sorry ladies, last week we had spare spots but this week it’s a little tight. Promise me you will both come back next week and we’ll have a seat for you both!”
“Righto,” replied Kylie, wishing she had come down last week and saved herself the agony of another week’s wait. But she had to be strong minded and keep thinking positively.
“Okay” Jess nodded.
The two newbies stood and silently watched the others walk over and unload the canoes and carry them into the water, all the while talking and laughing with each other.
Kylie looked at Jess and said, “Bummer. Now what?”
Jess said, “Back home I guess. See ya.”
“Bye,” said Kylie.
Kylie hesitated as she saw Jess walking off. She was inches away from reaching out to someone who like Mila, may not want anything to do with her socially. Taking a deep breath, she told her inner voice, “Doubt, Fuck off!” Then she scurried along the sand to catch up with Jess.
“Bugger going straight home. I have enough time alone in my flat, want to go and have a coffee with me?” Kylie asked.
Jess’s face broke into a smile. “Yeah that’d be great.”
“Cool. There’s a cafe up the road on the headland that looks nice but I haven’t been there before.”
“I think I know the one. Yeah, that sounds good.”
“We’ll just walk from here ay?” Kylie suggested.
“Sure.”
“I’m Kylie,” she said turning and offering her right hand to greet Jess.
“Jess,” she replied shaking it.
Jess was a lot heavier build than Kylie, and she carried a male handkerchief in her left hand and was continually dabbing her face with it as she seemed to be over sweating, even when she stood still despite it not being a hot or humid day. She had long mousey brown hair to the centre of her back and was just a bit shorter than Kylie. She wore glasses and her eyes were a lovely green colour, a mixture of olives and trees. Kylie wasn’t fit by any means but she didn’t have any trouble walking and talking whereas Jess was puffing away beside her after only walking twenty metres on the sand.
“Tell ya what, walking in sand sucks!” Kylie said stopping at the concrete path to shake her reefs clean of grit.
“Yep,” Jess said stopping and kicking off her thongs.
“So baby? What brings you to Outrigging? Me thinks it’s not the love of sand!”
“Well this might come as a shock but I thought I should take up some regular exercise and lose some weight,” Jess said sarcastically.
“Hey me too!” Kylie smiled.
“You look great, what do you hope to lose?” Jess said.
“My big arse, my hatred of the ocean and my fear of Lycra” Kylie said.
“Ha! I’ll go for two of those. Why do you hate the ocean?” Jess asked.
“I don’t trust what lives in it. Did you know that Townsville has the world’s largest breeding population of tiger sharks, just off Magnetic Island?”
“Noooooo. I was happy not to know that.”
“And flamin’ crocodiles, they’re swimming in the channel too you know, up the creeks, into the rivers and along the front here,” Kylie pointed to the ocean between The Strand and Magnetic Island.
“Yeah I’ve read about it in the paper but not seen any myself.”
“Those flamin’ walkin’ snappy handbags are here all right. Cheeky pricks can chase you out of the water and take a chomp out of you up on the beach. How rude is that?”
“Pretty rude!” Jess laughed.
“Imagine having a nice breaky down The Strand and you look around and flamin’ Snappy drags you off the grass, over the rocks and starts doing the crocodile roll with you in front of all your mates. Wouldn’t that frighten the shit out of ya!”
“If that’s the case he might spit you out coz you might taste like shit!” Jess said.
“Ha. I’ll make sure I remember that. Good one. Might be the only re-poo-lent that works!”
“So if you hate all those things, why do you want to join outrigging?” Jess asked.
“Because I had a theory it would help me meet new people and bingo! I’ve already met you!” Kylie said, very happy with herself.
“Yeah, good point.”
“What about you mate? Why do you want to join?” Kylie asked.
The girls arrived at the C Bar and sat down at a table. A waitress came over to offer some water and give them menus.
“I’ll have a skinny latte thanks, half strength please,” Kylie said to the waitress.
“Oh bugger it, I don’t have my wallet with me,” Jess said.
“That’s all right, I have twenty bucks on me. My shout.”
“Oh really? I’ll pay you back I promise.”
“Yeah, no worries, whenever.”
“I’ll have a skinny cappuccino please.”
The
