"Say boys, why don't we go out for dinner tonight at the local?"
"Sounds like a plan darling. What do you think Rob?"
"Sure why not. Mind if I have a shower first?"
"Go for it mate, towel is on your bed."
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The hot shower was just what I needed to get all the kinks out of my body from the hours of driving. I got out of the shower and changed into a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt. Paul and Denise were patiently waiting for me.
"Let's hit the road then." I said coming down the stairs.
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The Commercial Hotel had changed a lot since I last was there. The 'new' owners had established it as a wine bar and restaurant. They had ripped out and sold off the poker machines and their licences. It was still the place to go on Friday night by the look of the crowd.
"Well at least they didn't get rid of the public bar." I said to Paul
"Yeah it's changed a bit since you last wet your whistle here."
We were seated by the host on the outside deck. It was a perfect March evening and quite warm. I settled for a steak dish while Denise and Paul both went for the seafood. The conversation was light and easy and we updated each other on our lives. I didn't give up too much information as I still had some things to work through and decisions to make.
Dinner itself was delightful and well worth the wait. I could see why this was a very popular hotel. The night was going well for me and I didn't see anyone I knew of any consequence, that was until the end of the night as we were leaving. I ran straight into Jenny Taylor or was it Jenny Beasley now?
All colour faded from her face as she recognised me, thankfully the crowd swallowed her up as she was mouthing my name. We all made a hasty retreat and as the car pulled away from the Commercial Hotel. I saw her standing out on the footpath watching us leave.
Iron Plain was a small community where everyone knew everyone else's business. Word would soon spread that Rob Green was back in town. Old grudges would come to the fore and debts would have to be settled.
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Arriving back at Paul & Denise's house I thanked them for a nice night especially since they picked up the bill. Paul wanted to have a few more ales but I begged off indicating I was tired from the trip. Sleep wouldn't come, as seeing Jenny had stirred up so many conflicting emotions. I started thinking about my past although I was more concerned with my future.
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Looking back historically, the Iron Plain area was a major producer of wheat, oats, triticale, canola, lupins, mustard oil seed and fruit such as nashi pears, cherries, strawberries, peaches, nectarines, prunes and apricots. Contributions to the local economy were also made by meat processing houses, a dairy, large grain-storage silos, sheep, cattle and horse studs, pigs, deer, ostriches and some vineyards.
European settlement of the district began after Lord Byron's exploration in 1855. A sheep station known as 'Iron Valley' was established in the late 1850s.
Jauncey Peterson, a previous superintendent of 'Iron Valley', opened an inn around the 1860s which was the first authorised business to be conducted on the town site.
Gold was discovered a few kilometres to the north-west of the present town site in 1864 but serious prospecting didn't begin until 1866. At this time, Peterson wrote to the government to interest them in the establishment of a town.
A settlement was gazetted in 1868 as Iron Valley. This was changed c.1880 to Iron Plain
A mail service began in 1870 and a flour mill soon followed. The first school was established in 1871 and St James's Roman Catholic Church was built in 1879. In the course of the 1880s, the population increased dramatically from 82 to 2200.
Iron Plain become an important rail centre when the railway station was built there in 1885. By the outset of the 20th century, Iron Plain's commercial centre had outstripped that of all the townships around the district. It continued to prosper until the Great Depression when larger locomotives negated the need for crew and engine changes at Iron Plain.
By the late 1980's the town had grown to a population of 6800 with schools, hospital, fire station, ambulance station, police station, pubs and all the amenities found in a big city. This was the era in which I was raised but with progress came crime, drugs and violence that wasn't only confined to the big cities.
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I had a pretty good childhood growing up in the 1980's and beyond. Farmers and townsfolk mingled with mixed success as many of the townsfolk resented the farmers' wealth and the farmers looked down on the 'white trash' townsfolk. It had always been that way and never has changed.
The only thing that bonded the town was the high school football team. Rugby Union was the sport in question and due to the influence of the wealthy farmers' and the high proportion of catholic families it was like a second religion. Rugby was classified as a gentlemen's game played by bastards and that summed up our rugby team well.
I grew up with a love of Rugby League, the sport that was and still is the main competitor of Rugby Union in Australia. Rugby League was played by the blue collar workers while Rugby Union was played by the rich and elite. I followed the professional sport of Rugby League on television in the Australian Rugby League Competition (ARL).
There were 20 teams Australia wide and it is a National Competition but my favourite team by far was the Canberra Raiders. That love of Rugby League was due to my Dad. Dad had played professional Rugby League for the St. George Dragons based out of Sydney. He was a fiery lock forward but his career was cut short due to a neck injury.
Dad had moved to Stone Ridge (which was the town next to Iron Plain) accepting a job in the local sawmill as well as a coaching position for the town's Rugby League team. Dad had met Mum at a local dance and pursued her with vigor. At the time, Mum was dating a farmer's son by the name of Angus Beasley but Dad swept her off her feet.
There was a lot of bad blood between Angus Beasley and my Dad but by the end of it, Mum and Dad were married and I came along 5 years later. By then Dad had retired from coaching and had settled in Iron Plain, buying a house in town.
Growing up I was an only child and because of that was dotted on by both my parents. I wasn't spoiled but I never wanted for anything. Dad use to tuck me in at night telling me stories of all the great Rugby League players of his day.
I also use to sneak a peek at Dad's scrapbook that Mum had made and read all about his exploits on the field. There was no doubt that my father Johnny Green was my hero.
I started my schooling at Iron Plain primary school, which was ironically situated right next to St James catholic primary school (where all the farmers' children attended). Right from the start, it felt like the rich versus the poor. The kids from the catholic school use to sneer and thumb their noses at us. To be honest it never worried me too much as I liked my school and my friends.
My best friend was (and still is) Paul Williams but we also had a gang of other friends which included David Fitzsimmons, Ben Rogers, Justin Richards, Denise Richards, Martin Taylor and last but not least Jenny Taylor.
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My primary school years were full of joy and friendship. Paul and I played Rugby League for the Stone Ridge Magpies. I played as a lock forward and Paul was a cheeky little half-back. We both loved playing and my Dad was very proud. This of course bonded Paul and me even closer but it also painted targets on our back.
Iron Plain was a Rugby Union town and of course, the farmers' kids used to try to antagonise both of us not only as 'townies' but now as 'turncoat' league players. We never responded to the catcalls, which irritated them even more.
Our little gang use to hang out at the local pool during summer and we played cricket and basketball and the girls were in to horse riding so we would watch them compete sometimes.
The trouble began one day when I was twelve years old and involved our little gang and Gary Beasley...yep the son of Angus Beasley who despised my Dad so much. We were enjoying a nice summers day at the pool. That all changed when Gary and his mates turned up. It started with the usual catcalls and taunting. Ben and Martin reacted to the taunting and a war of words erupted but things finally calmed down.
We all decided to leave to have a game of cricket when Gary Beasley went a step too far. Jenny was walking to the change room when Gary bailed her up.
"Hey Taylor...want to see something?"
"What would that be Gary?"
"Something big baby."
"Oh yeah..."
With that, Gary pulled out his 'manhood' and Jenny began to laugh hysterically.
"Well it looks like a penis only smaller..."
