Broken Hill Page #4

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so you're approved for now,

but be advised, I am the law here,

and if you so much as make a "C"

when I want a B-sharp,

your little social experiment

will be over.

That'll be all, then.

I actually have another question.

Um, there's this prisoner

called Kalai,

and he's got this amazing voice...

That will be all.

Pushing your luck there a bit.

Yeah, I just found that out.

Look, Kalai's in solitary confinement.

It's a big embarrassment to the jail

to have someone escape three times.

I wouldn't mention him again.

# La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la #

That's good,

but you have to sing...

# La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la #

What are you doing?

Teaching 'em scales.

Since when do you know scales?

She's smarter than she looks.

Guys, want to show him

what we learned?

Come on, check this out.

That's all right.

Wait for it.

That thing over there

is too complicated.

No, that was awesome.

But, I mean, if you can do that

on a bucket,

don't you think you can do it

on a real drum set?

Come on, just give it a try.

Tommy.

What you're doing here is all right.

You know, showing these boys

that a few mistakes

doesn't make 'em totally worthless,

you know what I mean?

All right, so we're

gonna give you 100%,

and you're gonna do the same for us

and get us to Sydney, all right?

Yeah, of course.

Deal.

Deal.

Good on you.

All right, guys. Well, we'll pick up

from there next time, and, um...

Remember to tell some more people

to come along.

Fuzz was really good.

Yeah. On a bucket.

But why didn't you tell me

you played piano?

I thought you hated

this kind of music.

Oh, I do hate this kind of music.

Oh, really?

No.

I had to take piano lessons

when I was little.

It was just to get out of my parents'

way for a couple of hours.

I'm not good at all.

I'm just not.

I don't get how you do it.

Do what?

Okay, yesterday,

Bear just started singing,

and just like that you picked it up

and started playing it.

Oh, that was just practice, I guess.

Can you play this?

No, I've never played this before.

I- I only tinker.

I'm not really a pianist.

Come on.

That was beautiful.

Well, I just stuffed up the tempo

there, but it was a first try.

No, that was...

No, no, listen.

This is how I played it last night.

It was ridiculous.

Just so clonky!

No, look, you're playing fine!

You've just got to relax

your wrists a bit.

Um... All right, all right.

Bring your hands down,

and now go really slowly,

gentle.

That's it.

- Sounds a lot...

- Yeah, it sounds better already.

See, you don't have to rush.

That's it.

Nice.

Hey, kids! Time's up!

- We need the room.

- Oh, okay.

Okay.

Thanks!

Thank...

Thank you.

All right, well, thanks.

See ya.

Dude, you're such a wuss!

You drive like my mom!

Hold on, hold on...

she gave you the look,

and you did nothing?

It's unbelievable.

All right. Can we please talk about

something else, you little gossip?

She wouldn't even want to hang out

with you if it wasn't for me.

She doesn't want

to hang out with me.

She just wanted to use Dad's truck.

Well, it was good of him

to let us borrow it today.

Yeah. Things have actually been

pretty good between us recently...

You know, since I started

lying to him 24/7.

Mate, you are game as a piss ant.

He will find out, you know.

Yeah, but, look,

if I get into the conservatorium,

it's a different story.

Well, how's your band going?

Righto, righto.

You're a dead man walking, then.

Do you know why the warden

wants to see me?

I have no idea.

In you go.

Tommy! There you are!

Wonderful, isn't it?

It's what keeps me sane.

We all need something, right?

I've just been thinking

about what you said

the other day, about Kalai.

I've changed my mind.

I think it's a great idea.

We might have to bolster

security a bit,

but if he wants to sing

in your choir,

you can have him.

Go on, Tommy.

I hope you don't mind.

I brought some of my friends.

This is the one who saved my life,

then convinced the warden

to let me out of solitary.

Give him the same respect

that you would offer me.

Okay.

Well, um, right...

who here's ever played

an instrument before?

Yeah? All right.

Good. Great.

Well, let's just gather

round the piano

and let's get this thing rolling.

Kalai, what can you play?

I can play the didge.

Fantastic!

Uh, sorry, mate,

what have you played?

Violin.

Violin. Brilliant.

Okay, excuse me.

There you go.

And, uh, what about you?

The bells.

I'll give you one of them for now,

and we'll find something else

for you later,

but let's start there.

Now, we're gonna divide the rest

of you into the choral element,

so can we split up

into tenors and bases?

Mate, what are you doing?

That's an expensive instrument.

It's called col legno.

I know what it's called, okay,

but it's not what we're doing.

No problem.

Right.

Well, all right. Let's just start off

with something nice and simple.

Um, Kat, do you think

you can play this?

- Yeah, I think I can play that.

- Okay.

Okay, I know it's lame,

but we're gonna start somewhere,

so just sing, hum, or play along

the best you can.

That was awesome, you guys!

That sounded really good.

I think we can move up to something

a little bit more complicated.

Okay. Here we go.

Now, hopefully,

some of you can read music.

I wrote this one out myself.

It's an original composition.

It's a bit more difficult.

But if we give it our best shot,

I'm sure we can impress everyone

in Broken Hill.

Everyone have a bit of a read,

'cause we'll just kick it off

in three, two, one, and...

All right, well, it's get...

it's getting there, so, um,

let's call it a wrap for today.

But thanks for all your help

and all your effort.

That's good. Cheers, guys.

- Hey, Tommy.

- Yeah?

They say I escape

to find the diamonds.

It's not true.

I escape to remember

what freedom tastes like.

Solitary confinement

is a severe blow to my soul.

I'm in your debt... again.

We're going to Broken Hill, right?

Well, we'll see.

Hey, Tommy.

You're doing all right.

You didn't think that went well,

did you?

Well, it started okay,

but it's just really frustrating

'cause I can hear it so clear

in my head, and then...

You're different

than I thought you'd be.

So are you.

Usually when they bus 'em in

from the station,

the guys are cocky and self-assured.

Thanks.

No, they're narrow.

Well, my mom was the bohemian.

She taught me music.

But Dad is the self-assured cocky,

so, I guess I fall

somewhere in the middle.

Your mom must be proud of you.

Yeah, she died

a couple of years ago.

I'm sure she's still proud.

She wanted my music to get me

out of Willyama and see the world,

like you.

Me?!

My parents' work dragged me

around the world.

There's a difference between seeing

the world and being homeless.

Okay.

I'm gonna go home now.

See you tomorrow.

I'll see you tomorrow, okay?

# Take some for yourself #

# And for your family #

# Keep some for your friends #

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