I received a very broken up phone message the other day from Bill the North coast timber man.
“Chaos, I’m half way up the coast with a boat delivery to Brisbane so I won’t be back in Sydney until the middle of the week. I forgot to leave the keys to the timber yard for the driver.
On Sunday he has to pick up the teak planks which are stacked up against the back fence. You can get to them by going into the brick yard next door and passing them over the fence. Jack will meet you there.”
I couldn’t get the last part of the message because Bill’s phone gave up the ghost.
“Beware of … … ” silence.
Bill’s timber yard was huge and the slings of timber were piled on top of each other making the stacks around five metres high. This left just enough room for a large fork lift to work around the stacks.
Sunday, having given up my sailing berth, I stood waiting outside the timber yard. Being in an industrial area there was no one about so I was relieved when the truck turned up.
“G’day Chaos. Great day for a sail,” Jack said with a wry smile. “Get in. I hope you’re good at climbing.”
I just looked at him. We drove around the back and I climbed out so Jack could manoeuvre close to the cyclone fence with mean-looking barbed wire sticking up above it. The timber stack we were after was up against the fence and rose about half a metre above it.
When Jack had the truck parked he joined me on the tray. “If you climb on to the cab you will be able to step over onto the stack.”
“What happens when the stack is loaded and I want to come back, I won’t be able to get over the fence.”
“There’s a gate at the back of those houses over there,” he said pointing across the vast timber yard. You can go through onto the road out the front.”
I climbed over the fence with great difficulty thinking this is the most crazy way to load a truck. I started to pass the planks over the fence to Jack. It was hot work and, as the pile got lower, passing up the wood was becoming harder. I must have got to about a metre off the ground when I heard a noise like a couple galloping horses.
“What’s that racket?” I asked Jack.
“Don’t know but it sounds like it’s coming from over there,” Jack said pointing up between the stacks.
GROWL! GROWL!
Round the corner, travelling like bats out of hell, appeared two of the biggest black dogs with huge white glistening fangs that a white pointer would be proud of.
I still had a plank in my hand so I fended them off as they tried to jump up onto the stack.
“Help! Jack. What am I going to do now, I can’t climb the fence,” I yelled trying to keep the fear out of my voice.
“Seems the only way is to unload the truck until the stack is high enough for you to be able to get back over.”
“What! After all that work!”
“Well I can go and get you a Macca and you can sit there until the yard opens tomorrow morning.”
“OK start passing them back over,” I hissed, swearing under my breath.
It took over an hour to re-stack the pile of planks high enough for me to attempt climbing over. I was halfway over …
“LOOK OUT! The dogs!”
I lunged over the barbed wire, ripping my jeans when something grabbed at my shoe.
“Oh, No! Not my favourite dockies.”
I swear the dog had a smile on his face as he and his mate played tug of war with my boat shoe. Then my mobile started to ring.
“Chaos, you get the wood loaded?” Bill asked. I tartly explained what had happened. “I tried to warn you but the phone must have cut out. Tell you what, there’s a Japanese snack bar nearby and they make a soup to kill for. I’ll shout you both.” _
Clear Soup with Chicken Balls and Prawns
Ingredients
150gm ground raw chicken
2 tablespoons of crushed ginger
1/2 teaspoon of light soy
12 snow peas parboiled
12 green prawns peeled
4 cups of Dashi or chicken broth
Cooking
Mix chicken and ginger into eight small balls place in boiling water until colour changes drain. Place chicken balls and snow peas in four bowls. Place prawns into boiling chicken broth for a few minutes then pour over the chicken balls. Serve accompanied with salt and soy sauce.
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