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Night Workers

Well it doesn't really matter, if you have riches or you’re poor, When you get that bellyache, you know you’ll be heading for, That little house way down the back, where the comforts made for you, So you can sit and read the paper, when there’s a job to do. It doesn't really matter, if you eat ‘cray’ or caviar, Or if you’ve downed a pie with chips; they travel just as far. After your belly has been filled, then you must get rid of it, And that's when the likes of me and 'Rusty', do our little bit. You see we are night workers on a truck that pulls a tray, The job we’re being paid to do, is to take your waste away. So while you're sleeping soundly, to your 'little house' we go, Come every week on Friday, to prevent an overflow. Most roads in our little town are channelled, tarred and curbed, So the drive is smooth and even and no spillage's occurred. There was one road though unsealed, it is pot holed, windy, rough, With two houses at the dead end, where two pans were quite enough. One rainy morning we decided on, the easy first that day, That left us two spots yet to fill, that would complete our tray, And the rain had stopped so ‘Rusty’, before finishing our load, Hung his coat outside the cabin, prior to the unsealed road. Leaning here and lurching there, 'Rusty', turned ‘round and looked behind, Letting out a gasp of horror, so I asked, “What’s on your mind?” “My coat” he said “It’s in a can, pull up the truck, quick stop it!” Rusty didn’t care about his coat, but his lunch is in the pocket.

Copyright © | Year Posted 2015




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Date: 11/8/2015 4:00:00 AM
Another Gem Lindsay, I laughed so much my belly ached and now I must surely take the trip, down to the outhouse under the willow, where i will ease the pain I feel, thanks for nothing Mate lol Truely a master of verse,cheers Kev
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Lindsay Laurie
Date: 11/13/2015 7:07:00 PM
Thanks again Kevin... oh golly yes; as a kid, all the farmers I knew buried their waste where they intended to grow veggies in the future. They didn't have the luxury of a night art - catch you soon - Lindsay
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Kevin Fairbrother
Date: 11/8/2015 4:06:00 AM
PS Lindsay, when I was growing up the chinamen had the job of the night cart and lots of times they wouldnt take it to the sewage dump but place it in their large and florishing vegy garden and boy were those cauliflowers and cabbages big and healthy and yummy.
Date: 11/1/2015 4:32:00 AM
Oh this brilliant, Lindsay,,not only an excellent poem, but true life the way it is....My father worked a sewerage farm for years, but at least it came to him. you having to go and collect.... again made my day!
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Lindsay Laurie
Date: 11/3/2015 9:09:00 PM
Hello Harry... thanks for your comment Harry. Yes, this is a nostalgic poem from a job gone by the wayside with just a twist of humour to show it wasn't all beer and skittles. I'm pleased you enjoyed it Harry - Lindsay
Date: 10/29/2015 10:28:00 AM
You entertain with gusto, Lindsay! As always, a fitting twist for the perfect ending. I remember those workers doing the rounds, not at night, but in broad daylight! // paul
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Lindsay Laurie
Date: 11/3/2015 9:05:00 PM
Thank you once again for a positive comment Paul. I guess it was a job that had to be done at some stage and maybe th thinking here was out of sight out of min - Lindsay
Date: 10/27/2015 8:35:00 PM
Well we hate to lose a lunch that way. We hope it could be salvaged. The little things that have to happen to take care of us. These are very important jobs!
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Lindsay Laurie
Date: 11/3/2015 8:53:00 PM
Extremely important jobs in their day Duke. If it was my lunch, then someone else could eat it. Thanks for your comment Duke - Lindsay
Date: 10/24/2015 8:27:00 AM
Aces Mate !
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Lindsay Laurie
Date: 11/3/2015 8:50:00 PM
Thanks Jerry... progress has probably made this poem obsolete for anyone under fifty to understand - Lindsay
Date: 10/21/2015 10:17:00 AM
lol!
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Lindsay Laurie
Date: 11/3/2015 8:43:00 PM
Hi there Kim... true stories from the past like this must be documented - thanks Kim - Lindsay
Date: 10/21/2015 1:38:00 AM
Well, I was expecting spiders, but as usual you lead a merry dance, Lindsay. Love your work- giving humour to the mundane, and a terrific sense of place. Who needs Google street view? Regards, Viv
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Lindsay Laurie
Date: 11/3/2015 8:37:00 PM
G'day Viv... spiders and snakes do get their share of fame in poems about the dunny. Of course not often a coat is the centre of attraction, but how we loved to lob a cracker under the back door when someone was sitting down - Lindsay
Date: 10/20/2015 3:33:00 PM
hahaha I was thinking something really terrible would happen to the guy, and he just wants to get lunch out of his pocket!!
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Lindsay Laurie
Date: 11/3/2015 8:26:00 PM
By God Andrea... I would rather starve to death than eat lunch out of that coat pocket. In fact I'd rather freeze to death than put that coat on again - thanks Andrea - Lindsay
Date: 10/20/2015 3:42:00 AM
As always Lindsay, you have delivered another wonderfully entertaining tale. I remember my mother talking about the night men and the job.
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Lindsay Laurie
Date: 11/3/2015 8:23:00 PM
Hello Mark... before septic tanks and sewerage Mark, the night cart workers kept towns happy when we all slept. I remember those times well - thanks Mark - Lindsay

Book: Reflection on the Important Things