Young Moreton hadn't given up the smokes before the trip so each time the Cruiser came to a halt it was a mad dash out the door and smoke signals being sent skyward. Oh well we just gave him what for and told him probably a couple.... nah better make that more than a few times, that he should give the dirty things up.
Out at the property all was well and Mort was a happy chappy sending up White Ox smoke signals at every opportunity; that was until we heard a blood curdling scream followed by “Which one of you blokes took me Tally-Ho papers?” Tally-Ho papers Mort, what would we want with Tally-Ho papers? Keith, Rod and myself were completely innocent of any crime that Mort might have suggested we committed and after some time he came to realize he had left his three reserve packets of Tally-Ho’s in his car back at Chucka’s place. Man you should have seen the panic on his face!!!
All I can say is we spent the next six days or so rather entertained by our Mort’s antics - why would anyone take up smoking?
At first it was counting out how many papers were left - eight; yep only eight and that was not going to last six days. Time to curb the smoke signals and ration those papers out a bit; not even two a day, oh dear what to do?
Mort’s bags and room were ransacked just to check those Tally-Ho’s weren’t there and then it was time to give the cottage we were staying in a check over just in case anyone happened to have left some behind - not a one to be found.
Next came a search of the workshop, property ute and quad as there just might be a slim chance of finding some - slim alright as the property owner gave up smoking many years ago.
Things were really getting desperate as he then asked the property owner if he might have any laying around the house, “nah mate gave’m up years ago” was the reply; the look on poor Mort’s face, nearly made us feel sorry for him - note I said nearly.
Well the rationing didn’t work too well and come the second day Mort found himself with an empty Tally-Ho packet; he was nearly crying. The emotional high from getting his boar the afternoon before had helped carry him through to lunch time but by then he was getting in a pretty desperate state and that was when Supercheap Auto came to the rescue.
You see I had bought some new wiper blades from there before the trip and I had left the receipt in the Cruiser. Now you think about it, you have tobacco but no Tally-Ho papers but you really really do need to have a smoke. Well Mort got to thinking that that Supercheap Auto receipt was about the same width as a Tally-Ho paper hmmmmmmm.
Yep folks the next thing we see is the White Ox being rolled up in that receipt paper - desperate times call for desperate measures.Well, as you know I usually keep my camera handy and I wasn’t going to let a photo opportunity like this pass me by. I think this photos tells the story.
- Supercheap 1.jpg (151.18 KiB) Viewed 2525 times
- Supercheap 2.jpg (200.95 KiB) Viewed 2525 times
When we got to Cunnamulla early on the following Saturday morning Mort paced up and down until the door of the servo opened and in he ran and bought a packet of tailor mades and out the servo he came all the while ripping the packet open. You know, I always thought that a durry was supposed to last more than three quarters of one drag!!!
Now Mort me young mate, have I ever told you that you really do need to give those dirty things up?
Jeff
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