Point of View

"What you think of that Brumby prick?" Jod asked me, yesterday, while I was up the ladder picking the last few of 20 bunches of Mexican hawthorn berries. It was difficult work, on top of the extension ladder tied in the tree, reaching to full stretch with extended pruner pole. All the body strains, from feet to shoulders, as you work and struggle to maintain balance at the same time. I'd been at it an hour and was nearly bushed. It's something I have to do, too difficult for the others.

"I don't think much of Brumby at all, or Brack's before him," I answered, somewhat irritated with the small talk as Jod watched from below and puffed on his fag, waiting for me to send down the individual long stems without knocking all the berries off. Jod had come down with the quad bike and trailer to carry the heavy bunches up the steep hill to where we pack.

"Like Bracks, he talks tough. Tells the unions, teacher's, police, nurses, ambo's, their demands won't be met, for months on end. Then, after public sympathy builds through a protracted media campaign, he gives them what they want. Like a well conducted orchestra."

"I don't like what he's doing to the farmers up north, taking their water," Jod said.

This threw me a little. I'm not big on politics. It leaves me sort of, well, disgusted, angry, irritated. I don't often give opinion. Why upset yourself? But here I was, up the ladder, cornered.

"It's the first thing they've done in all these years, except play around with speed limits and cameras. I'm not really up with the pros and cons, but as I see it, I think the idea is, water can go in either direction in a pipe, and soon, unless things change, there may be no water at all except what comes from the de-sal plant, if they ever get it done."

Jod made a grunting sound which I think was a form of agreement. He's a staunch labour man from way back, from his days in the railways. He kept on politics. "I'm not happy with Ruddy. He made a big mistake increasing tax on alcopop. The punks are mixing their own and getting pissed worse than ever. I used to buy a sixpack on the weekend sometimes, now I don't. I buy a bottle of rum and mix it with a can of ginger beer."

"I'm very happy with Rudd," I replied. "The troops are leaving Iraq. Never should've been there. I don't give a bugger about alcopop."

Jod grunted.