Last Cab to Darwin Page #6

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- Just "Dog"?

'Rex' was taken.

Do you miss your mates?

I thought I would, but... nah.

How many times can you hear

the same bloody stories?

What do you miss?

Me? Nothing.

What is there to miss about 12-hour shifts

and sh*t and vomit and arrogant doctors

and ungrateful patients?

There must be something.

You're getting all that right here.

I know!

I just came out here to get some sun.

I just...

wanted to see the sun.

Polly.

Caitlin, have you got my hair dryer?

Oh, get out of there, you noisy

little buggers! You should've been in bed!

- Noel, tell your kids!

- Leave a message if you're good-looking!

Pol?

Pol, I'm... I'm in Darwin.

This thing I'm doing, it's...

it's taking a bit longer than I thought.

Pol, I... just wanted to say...

sorry. I won't call again.

Aunty Polly? Evelyn took your hair dryer.

No, I didn't!

He's asleep. I just dosed him up.

The pain's...

The psychiatrist said yes!

- Oh, well done!

- Now all we need is a specialist.

I went to university with him,

so... bubbles tonight!

None for me... please. Thank you.

I'm sorry. It's just...

I'm not sure he's ready.

He'll never be readier.

- Julie...

- What are you two whispering about?

Congratulations, Rex.

Apparently you are of sound mind.

Why do I get the feeling

that woman wants me dead?

Hey.

It's Tilly's first game this weekend.

There's something I want to do.

Came to training the first three weeks.

Did everything right. I mean, you saw him.

Picked him at full-forward

to play this Saturday.

- I haven't seen him since.

- Do you know where he is?

Try looking in the long grass.

They sometimes end up there.

It does happen.

Hey.

Is he any good?

He's an absolute star.

Yeah. Sense of play, that's right.

Two for the pissheads,

one for the man of God.

Gday, gorgeous.

Oi.

Pol!

Stop. That's him.

Hey, Rexie!

- You want a drink?

- No, mate.

- What happened, mate?

- What happened?

Nothing happened.

I'm good, Rex! Yeah.

Nice out here in the long grass.

It's deadly, brother!

They all countrymen here. Arnhem Land.

Tiwi mob.

I'm Arabana from Oodnadatta!

Well, the fascinating britches

On the stitches...

- Can't get it.

- First game this weekend, isn't it?

You playing?

I don't think so!

Then you should go home to your family.

Then you should f*** off.

Don't tell me what to do!

We had a deal, remember?

- You're the one that wanted it.

- I was wrong.

- Call your family.

- You call your family!

- I haven't got any.

- Oh, bullshit!

Everyone got someone.

You don't just crawl in the ground

like a f***in' worm.

You've gotta have someone

to cover the dirt back over again.

- I won't fight with you.

- Why don't you just die, then?

Hey, Rex?

When are you just gonna f***in' die?

You're the most gutless person I ever met.

Drive all the way to Darwin

so someone else can do the dying for ya.

What the f*** is that?

Telling me what to do. F*** me!

I'm here with my people!

Where are you, Rex?

Where the f*** are you?

Look what you've done,

you stupid old prick!

Tilly!

- Tilly... Tilly, leave him!

- You alright?

Leave him.

You kids, stop that!

Get out of here! This isn't your joint!

This is somebody else's house! Get!

Get out!

Chrissakes, Noel! You need to teach

those kids some respect!

They're just muckin' around, Pol.

It's Friday night. Family night.

These are Rex's records!

Rex is family!

But you said you would two weeks ago.

No, Bob, no. Unacceptable.

He's dying right now.

Please, Bob. Don't do this.

Please.

How is he?

Alive. Just.

The specialist just reneged.

They're saying if we go ahead and do it

before the law is repealed,

then we could be charged

with murder retrospectively.

Grey areas.

Specialists are scared shitless of them.

They want everything black and white.

He doesn't want to be here.

I know that, Julie! Jesus Christ!

You think I don't know that?

- What do you know about Polly?

- Who?

His neighbour. He keeps a picture

of her under the visor in his cab!

- No. He said there was...

- How would you?

You couldn't.

Too busy to spend any time with him.

I do, because I'm the one changing his sheets

and wiping his arse and talking to him.

This is what he wants.

He wouldn't be here if he didn't.

- This is his choice.

- What if he was wrong?

What if he was lying to you? To himself?

You needed him to be the perfect

patient, so he was for you!

You're just the same as them. You want

everything to be black and white, but it's not.

It's grey.

Anyway, it's too late now.

Did you put Polly there?

Tell me about her.

Unhook me.

Get me out of here.

- I can't.

- You can.

You're a nurse, aren't you?

Of course you bloody can.

Unhook me.

It took my old man five years

to drown to death with miner's lung.

Mum never said a kind word

to him through the whole thing.

Not that I can remember.

She dragged me in to see him

in a room just like this.

Picked me up and pushed me against him.

"Give your father a kiss."

"Give your father a kiss."

Come on. Let's get you out of here.

Alright. Your turn.

Tell me about her.

She has a nice smile.

I wouldn't say that to her face.

But yeah.

It's like the sun coming up

when she flashes it.

Call her!

Have you any idea

how much trouble you've caused?

I am his doctor, Julie.

Administration's gone ballistic.

Journalists.

What the f*** did you think

you were doing?

He didn't want to be there.

We had a deal, Doc.

I should never have agreed to this.

And I never should have helped you.

Rex would be back

in Broken Hill right now.

Just do it, Doc.

Please.

Just hook me up to that machine and do it.

I can't, Rex.

I won't.

Not until it's legal.

Driving up here to die

was the first thing I ever believed in.

Ever in my life.

Was I wrong?

Leave a message if you're good-looking!

Pol?

Nah, Noel here. Polly's cousin.

She's moved in across the road.

- You got the number?

- Yeah. Yeah, mate.

Hello.

Pol.

It's me.

I'm still here.

You sound...

far away.

Darwin.

It's far enough.

You've moved into the house?

Yeah. It's quieter here.

I miss you, Rex.

Not much of me left to miss.

- Yes.

- What?

Yes.

That's what I would've said

if you'd asked me to marry you.

I love you, Rex.

It sounds weird to say it now.

All the sh*t we've talked,

all the sh*t we haven't.

I love you. Always have.

There it is.

There it is.

And if you were here right now

holding my hand,

I'd never let go, Rexie. Never, ever.

I love you too, Pol.

Alright.

Just press the space bar.

No!

- Done?

- Done.

Now...

Now, if you use this, you can't drive.

If you don't use any,

there's no way you'll be able to sleep.

The pain'll get you home,

but after that...

Yeah.

What are you gonna do?

Haberdashery.

I'm a nurse.

It's all I'm good at.

Thanks, love.

For everything.

Pain?

Kicking in now.

Then go. Goodbye, Rex.

Good luck.

He said yes! He just called

and told me he'd do it!

What happened?

He's gone.

Oh, God, no!

You didn't...?

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