The General Store

Chapter 2: The Conversation

Usually when someone finishes becoming something they've always want to be, they go out, drink a lot and party till the sun rises but not me. I was handed a certificate and a pen, and I drove home. Back to the little old General store, to a screaming kid and nagging parents. I drove home in the cream coloured FJ Holden, the radio crackling out some Simon and Garfunkel song. I passed my house and parked on the Warf, my eyes flicking with every white cap that appeared on the tips of the waves. I sat in pure silence, trying to remember the sound of Dover's goodbye, his happy smile was lost amid the screams coming from the shop I seem to have driven back to. I hauled my body from the driver's seat and pushed inside, Mum sat at the counter reading some magazine. She looked up when she heard the bell ring and a smile moulded her cheeks.

'I'm so proud of you Brookie,' she flung her arms around me, squeezing me tight before cupping my face in her hands.
'I can't believe my little girl isn't little anymore,' her top lip wobbled.
'C'mon Mum,' I giggled.
'You're truly amazing,' she said as three customers walked in the door. I trailed down the passage and into the built-on house I'd lived in my whole life. Dad sat in the rocking chair hushing George and trying to stop him from crying.
'Brooklyn please take George please!' My father had always been awful with children that weren't his own.
'Try putting him to bed, it's 7:30 Mum will come in now and I'll go out, I'm going to get changed,' I told him. I could see the confusion on his face as my slurred words left my mouth. I carried my three tonne feet to my bedroom and then to the front counter, I sat for a few moments as I mentally prepared myself for the influx of kids that come in for take-away at around this time.
'Brooklyn!' The chanting voice echoed in my head. Jayne Simmons, her hair was long, she was six foot three and could dance way to well.
'What'll it be Jayne?' I asked watching the crew of twelve trail in like minions behind her.
'The usual thanks,' she gnawed on her gum. I sighed and wrote down;
- 12 pieces of battered fish
- $10 worth of chips
- 24 chicken drumsticks
- 12 cokes
It must have been Jayne's turn to pay because she only speaks to me when she needs something.
'You should come and see us down under the jetty,' Caroline said, she was kinda nice. I nodded with a slight smile.
'Looks like you need it,' Greg laughed; slapping the arm of Wayne who was beside him. The whole crowd laughed, I heard the door jingle open and I saw the back of a man's head as he seated himself at a table.
'Why aren't you two in Vietnam huh?! All the other blokes are!' I returned angrily.
'Shut ya trap ya Irish Mick! Who do you think ya are?!' Wayne replied, his racist comment having no effect on me.
'What are you? Chicken?!' I sounded as Mary our cook handed me the bundle of food.
'No! Shut ya mouth mole!' Darrel snatched the food and the twelve of then trundled out the door. I pursed my lips together and sank back onto my stool, my elbows resting on the counter, my hands cupping my chin. I focused my eyes on the dark-haired man seated at the window, his eyes staring at the sea and hand in a fist.
'Would you like to order something?' I said. He didn't reply, in fact he didn't even acknowledge I spoke. I left him alone, everyone was like that, quiet and unhappy. No one wanted to admit they were hurting. This war wasn't like any war we'd ever had before, we'd barely even heard of Vietnam.

The clock ticked over 9 and the man still hadn't moved. I'd had a heap of other people come in, but he hadn't seemed to notice, so it was time to take action. I walked over to him slowly, my heart beating quite fast, I sat down in front of him and in that moment my whole life changed.
His eyes were so green, his eye lashes so long, his lips looked soft and pink. His freckled cheeks had a single stream of tears trickling onto the napkin below him. He turned his face to me and my heart shattered.
'Hi,' I muttered, not really sure what to say.
'Does the ocean scare you?' His voice was rough and deep, almost like the ocean.
'No, it never has, why do you ask?' I furrowed my eyebrows, slightly confused.
'I don't know, I've never seen it before and I can't believe something so beautiful can be so dangerous,' His eyes flickered at the flash of lighting that bolted in the horizon.
'It reminds me of my brother, wild, unpredictable, bold,' I stated, Dover's face appearing in my mind. The man chuckled a little, wiping the tears from his eyes.
'This world is going to shit!' He stopped, 'oh I'm sorry.'
'No it's ok, why are you so upset?' I questioned, my heart pounding and eyes wide.
'You know I've never been one to believe in the whole protest thing, but I wish it was making a difference. I've come up here from country South Australia, to see the ocean before I go to Vietnam, if I were to die over there I would've never seen the ocean,' thunder clapped as he spoke.
'Well I could show you my favourite ocean cove if you want?' I stated. I'd never taken anyone to the spot before, it wasn't secret or anything it was just special.
'That'd be amazing,' a smile spread across his face.
Bloody Vietnam. It was out of our control and the entire world was a part of it. No one could make a difference no matter how hard they tried.