John West
Beatle Boots
I would have tortured someone to get a pair!
She was so tall and Swedish-looking
although she came from Bentleigh in Melbourne.
She had moved up to be near my brother's friend, Bob
a teacher at the Tech. school and one quarter Aboriginal, some people said.
I remember her once being shown around Ken's new block,
it must have been summer, there was a patina of dust on the vines
and on her tall, pointy-toed boots; Beatle Boots were black, thin-soled
and shaped like hers although they were shorter
with elastic sides and they cost seven pounds
far too much for me, even if my parents allowed them.
I had just begun to shave but had needed my father to be in hospital
with his second heart attack to give me the chance to wheel out my shining kit;
I knew what to do, I'd watched Ken do it at least a hundred times.
As I scraped, I'd think of him and his friend and the girl
all of us camping, catching fish, shooting rabbits.
The others wouldn't shave but I'd be up early each morning
down on my knees at cold Murray water.
Page(s) 19
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