Darryl Australia looked out the front lounge room window of his double brick and tile,
middleclass suburban house. They were at it again. He looked up the street to the
opulent two storey house on the hill. There was movement there and as he watched,
from it came a group of his neighbour’s friends. The group swung out through the
gate and headed down the hill. They were aiming for a small house at the very end of
the street.
Darryl moved to the southern window and pulled the curtain away. Already there was
a group gathered at the house. House was a misnomer really. It was basically a run
down shack. Asbestos and wood. It had a lean to that served as a shed and a few
old car bodies in the front yard but not much more. The owners had a vege garden in
the back yard but battled to pay the water bill so the plants wilted in the sun. At the
moment there was a full blown fight going on. Punches being thrown and curses
shouted. The combatants were split largely into two groups. On one side the darker
skinned Mr Abdul Afghanistan and his brothers against a predominantly white
Caucasian group fronted once again by Chuck America.
Mr America was the self styled neighbour hood watch guy who was always ready to
pitch in to keep the neighbourhood peace. There was talk of, and some real proof of
clandestine drug dealing going on down that end of the street. Worse than that was
the reality that a group of thugs were bullying citizens going about their everyday
business? There had been a big explosion in the street and two big trees had been
felled. The cause of all this unrest had been sourced straight to the Afghan
household. Groups of youths would gather outside and they were seen cruising the
neighbourhood at all hours. Things were going missing and most of the community had
had enough. But what do you do? Chuck was the first one to speak out and he had a
valid point. I mean there was a history. Remember Mr and Mrs Iraq. Night after night
you could hear them. The dogs being kicked and starved. The wife beaten every
night. His children being whipped and sexually abused. Something had to be done. It
was a mess no doubt. Ernie England and Chuck got together with a group from the
neighbourhood. They went down there and all hell broke loose.
Darryl wandered down later and got into a scrap with a few of the relatives.
Absolutely not to his taste and the whole thing stunk. But what do you do? You can’t
just let the bastard get away with it. Darryl wondered if it all was worth it in the end
though. Those poor kids. Then there were all the injuries from the stoush. Even the
dogs were sent to the pound, so you have to wonder if they were ever better off
afterwards.
Darryl pulled the curtain across. His son was down there now and he knew there
would be blood split. He just wished things would settle down. Most of the neighbours
were great. Neville Newzealand was a hard worker ,treated his kids well. There was
a whole bunch in the street that were beaut. Charley Canada, Mal Malaysia, Scotty
Scotland etc .You could go on. Great neighbours willing to pitch in and help and fun
to have a beer with. Even Jerry Germany and that Japanese guy had settled down
lately.
Bambang Indonesia down the street where the cheaper houses started, with his huge
family was a bit of a worry though. Especially the way he treated Mr and Mrs Timor.
Disgusting really, but with so many kids you didn’t want to make too many waves by
speaking up. And Daryl remembered the Vietnamese brothers. What looked like a
family that was out to cause strife and unsettled everyone turned out to be nothing
more than a family feud? Two brothers fighting over ownership of the house. Soon as
Chuck and his neighbourhood watch intervened the brothers united against the
common foe and gave him a hiding. Chuck still wasn’t over it. Maybe that was why he
persevered with this crusade.
Darryl sat down and sipped on his beer. He would finish his drink then head over to
see Mr Timor. He had been helping out a bit over there lately to try to make up a bit
for the past.
He looked back down the street again and shook his head. The Afghan family were in
disarray. Chuck and Ernie England had the Mum and Dad at the front door again and
were laying down the law while the Afghan older brothers were out the back throwing
stones over the roof.
Darryl shook his head. Love your neighbours. Christ it was hard enough just getting
on with them.
Beau Philp 2010
I realise now that people will make of this what they will despite the sincere intentions of the author.
C'est la Vie
A fairly accurate representation of current social structures within and without Australia.
So who owns the servo and chemist on the corner? And who are turning a blind eye whilst it is refueled/restocked from The Iraq and Afghan households?
Pity Chuck America and his overstuffed householders have no interest in that as they fill up the Ford F350.
Get us a beer Daz..
Is there the slightest sense of humour or the ridiculous in you at all Doc??
Do you ever smile or give a gut wrenching laugh at something??
Those that laugh long also live long and those that live the longest are the ones that are able to laugh at themselves.
Just remember that none of us is going to get out of this life thing alive,
and I am happy to admit to being a 
.
It really was an attempt to write a piece that showed how difficult it was for
governments to make decisions sometimes in regard to security that they probably
don't wish to make. I attempted to show the world at a neighborhood level.
Simplistic? Of course. Self indulgent? Absolutely.
No malice was intended. I know there are hardworking, honest, law abiding people
in all races and cultures.
and I am happy to admit to being a .
As much as I am a dyed in the wool cynic, lighten the fk up Doc.
It is simplistic, not to sell an untruthful version of international politics, but for some light relief and maybe even a slightly better understanding of the situation for those that lose interest without a cartoon to go with the words.
Yes there is inherent heavy handed western slant and judgmental bias in there but het, have you read the Australian, Washington Post, London Daily (or whatever they like to rest their fat beer-swilling guts on) etc etc??
BTW - I haven't read any of em - I HATE broadsheets.
Clearly its fable to try to condense complex issues into a form we can understand. I have a few issues with the similies though.
Firstly child abuse is not restricted to countries that are 'troubled'.
Secondly half the issues facing the troubled families can be sourced back to Chuck. The common term for this is blowback.
Thirdly its not mentioned that the poor old Afghan family suffered from harrassment and home invasion from Ivan the Russian and Billy Britain along with ChucK and Daryll recently breaking down the front door and giving the Afghans a hard time.
Fourthly, many of those 'troubled' neighbours fought as hard as they could against the big bullies on the street. Some won, some lost. However its a bit simplistic to say they have settled down.
Yes its fine to try to simplify complex issues. However when we try brush over extrememly important reasons why we face these current problems, all we do is stick our heads in the sand and not understand why people don't agree with our views.
I love a stable fable - I use one to rest my dinner on every night as I watch Today Tonight and Current Affair for all my worldy information and views. 
and I am happy to admit to being a .
Is Today Tonight the worst form of gutter tabloid journalism that there is and has ever been ?
Even the worst 'how offensive can I be' shock-jocks had some professionalism about them.
Today Tonight is ... leaves me speechless.
