3 More Nights With The Copper & His Wife

I had no idea what I was in for...Issue# 90

ifOnlyi… didn’t have to prove anything to anyone, especially my friends, who in a way dared me to go. They didn’t even understand Australia, nor did I, and they may have seen it only on a map. Where would I have been if I hadn't decided to go to Sydney?

After a mere two hours and forty-five minutes of sleep, I found myself awakened by Mark the Policeman nudging me in the ribs with his boot and the stern words “Yank, remember, when I get up, you get up!” The situation's unpredictability led me to consider taking a flight back home.

When his wife, Wendy, got up and was ready to go to work, she told me I had to leave the house until she returned home. "Are you serious. Wendy?" I asked, thinking she was joking. "What am I supposed to do? I know no one and have no maps of the area."

I now felt young and stupid all at the same time! What would I do in a residential area without shops, restaurants, or even a car to go somewhere? I did have some cash and my American Express card. Ok, let’s go then, I thought.

I stood outside the apartment building, feeling despondent. I wondered what to do without a phone, a car, or direction. Here I was in a strange country where I knew no one other than the couple who kindly offered me a place to stay until I figured things out.

The day dragged on slower than the snails I had seen earlier. I was too scared to leave in case I got lost and could not find my way back to where I was staying.

As the afternoon progressed, my stomach began to protest its emptiness. I questioned how much longer I would be stuck sitting on the curb, feeling lost, with my hunger intensifying with each passing moment.

At around 5:30 p.m., Wendy's car pulled up, and I thought, 'Yippi, I can sit in a chair and eat something. I felt as if it was Christmas, and Santa Claus had arrived so that I would get gifts of food and sleep. I was like a kid in a candy store, or a puppy seeing its owner after a long day.'

I offered to help Wendy cook dinner before I sat down and went to sleep. At that point, it was just the two of us, so I asked if I could have something to eat now or if we had to wait for Mark to arrive. "No, Ollie, you go ahead," she said, and I scarfed down whatever I ate. At that point, I didn’t care if it was roadkill."

Around seven that evening, I was fast asleep in the armchair when the front door swung open, and Mark shouted, "Ollie, I'm home, it's time to wake up!"

He was holding a case of Tooheys beer and a carton of cigarettes - the same ones as the previous night.

The next night, home delivery by the copper

I couldn't believe what I was looking at. He handed me a beer and a cigarette and said, "So, let's continue where we left off last night about your life, Ollie."

Oh no, please, please, I need sleep. I thought. I was still jet-lagged and adjusting to the time difference. Knowing I was staying for free in their home, I didn’t want a policeman kicking me out.

I settled in for another night of beer, cigarettes, and storytelling. Once we'd finished all the beers, Mark went to bed, and I fell to the floor in total exhaustion beyond description. To hell with any blanket or pillows.

I drifted into a deep sleep. The next thing I knew, I was kicked in the ribs, and this time I truly felt the pain. The copper called my name several times, delivering a more brutal kick with each call.

I rolled over and looked up, and he said again, “ When I get up, you get up.” Those were the exact words I had heard the mornings before. Didn't you say last night that you were off work today? "Yes, Ollie, but not until I finish today’s shift, I said that to you around two this morning.”

Oh, please don’t leave me to sit outside again today. Let me go with you to work and hang out there to learn about the area. "I can’t," he replied. The Police Station is private, and you must be an employee to enter."

He was running late, as it was close to 6 a.m. This time, I'd had an extra hour of sleep, closer to three and a half hours. I jumped into the shower to wake myself up, if possible.

Mark drank his coffee as fast as he could. I, too, would have to leave and shut the door when Wendy left for work. She was waiting for me to get ready as she walked out the door.

Right then, I remembered something. Ollie, call the stewardess Karen, you met when flying from Brisbane. I ran back looking for the phone number. Where did I put it?

I rummaged through my suitcases, strewing clothes everywhere. I mean everywhere. Ahh, there. I grabbed it and ran out, shutting the door behind me. I looked back and said to myself, "Ollie, you're all alone for another day."

"No, I’m not. I refuse!" I told myself.

I planned to stop the first car I saw and ask where I could go to make a phone call. Weird as it sounds, I thought people would wonder why I didn’t make the calls from my home, so I had scripted my answer.

About half an hour later, a couple finally stopped to talk. They were walking, not driving. I said, "I'm Ollie. I'm from the United States and want to call my family back home. I'm staying with friends and don't want to raise their phone bill. Do you know where I can find a public phone?"

"Ollie, you have a long way to walk, but here are the best directions."

Three hours later, I reached the only place with a phone booth.

I'm having a breakdown

My feet were aching, but I made the calls—one to my family and one to Karen—and no one answered.

I sat on the ground and began to sob, crying for the pain and for the decision I had made in coming to Australia. I'd had enough!

I only had a one-way ticket, and in the 6th month, I was flying to New Zealand, so I couldn't change my flight, as I didn't have another one.

I gathered myself together and decided to try calling once again. This time Karen answered, "Hello, this is Karen." "It’s me, Ollie, from your flight a few days ago," I said, my heart pounding. “Yes, Ollie, how are you?” “Not good, I need help, Karen.”

She replied, "I am about to leave and catch my flight to Brisbane. I will be back tonight." "Karen, don’t go I blurted out. Could you pick me up? I need to leave where I’m staying."

"Ok, where are you, Ollie?" I gave her the address, and she said, "I'll pick you up in the late afternoon, tomorrow."

It was a three-hour walk back to the apartment. I was not looking forward to the return journey that day.

My feet were blistered, so I had to take my shoes off halfway and wear just socks to continue back. Once there, I noticed a car in the driveway, one I had not seen before. Was someone here? I hadn’t previously seen anyone other than the copper's wife.

I knocked, and the door opened. "Hi Ollie," the copper said. “Hi, you're home early," I replied. “Yes, I have to go to work tomorrow, so I finished early." He went over to the fridge and handed me a beer. Oh no, I did not want to drink beer.

Another night of pain

I wanted to lie on the carpet where his dirty shoe was resting, and I was daydreaming of sleep.

I first jumped in and got Mark to share his day. Did you catch anyone breaking into any banks? I'd had enough of talking about myself. We shared laughs as he opened a fresh carton of smokes. He brought this one with him earlier, and another case of Tooheys.

Night three, rinse and repeat all over again!

I now realize why I was hungover every morning. I checked the label on the beer bottle, and the alcohol percentage was much higher than that of California beer. It was smoother, and I must admit he had good taste.

He was loud and very convincing when chatting; he seemed to think 'no' meant 'yes.' Again, it was his home, and I feared he might kick me out if I argued. I was living on beer and cigarettes and had saved the little cash I had so that I couldn’t complain. He always bought the beer.

I lay awake that night, feeling a sense of relief knowing Karen was coming. The prospect of her arrival the following day filled me with hope and excitement as I considered how wonderful this could be.

I can't believe it was only five in the morning when I got Mark's final wake-up call. He said, "Grab a quick shower and get dressed, Ollie. You're coming with me this morning, and we need to leave in ten minutes."

I immediately jumped in the shower, dressed, and we were out the door. "I'm taking you with me, but you must walk home. I hope you're ok with that."

Wondering where we were going, I remember he said I couldn't get into the police station. So, where were we headed?

We jumped in his car, and he drove in the opposite direction from where I had walked the previous day. Not as far, though. A couple of miles, and he stopped. "Get out, Ollie. Follow me," he says. We went behind this building that looked like a bar. How strange, I thought. Should I call and say goodbye to my parents? Was this the end for me?

He knocked on the door; moments later, it swung open to reveal a room filled with uniformed police officers. I began to question why he had brought me here.

This is what I walked into at 5:30 in the morning

He yells to everyone, “This is OLLIE, whom I’ve been telling you about.” I look around, and these guys are drinking beers at 5:30 in the morning. "Hello," I say, scared to utter another word. "Hello Ollie, “Yank, rhymes with septic tank,” they screech out in unison.

Laughing, they handed me a can of beer. "Drinks are on us, Yank," they said. I replied, "Are you all off work today?" "No, Yank," one replied, "we're getting ready for work." OMG!

I couldn’t face beer, but now I had over a dozen officers ensuring I wouldn’t embarrass them after they bought me drinks.

I sipped away until they said it was time for them to go to work. I was instructed to walk back home and have breakfast before Wendy left for work, so I went off.

Once back at the apartment, Wendy asked where I had been. Ollie, it's very early in the morning, "she blurted out. "Your hubby asked me to go with him this morning to meet his coworkers.

“OH, so you had a beer with the lads, Ollie?” "Yes," I answered, as I tried to produce a smile. I pretended to enjoy drinking like a fish, smoking like a train, which I had rarely done before. All while surviving on a few hours' sleep each night.

Was this what the natives considered "living the life of Riley?" Not so for me! At all!

I knew Karen would show up and save me! When I told her that Karen would pick me up that afternoon, Wendy was ready for work.

"Who is Karen, Ollie?" "The Qantas air hostess I met on the flight from Brisbane to Sydney," I said. She looked shocked and surprised.

"Ok, "Ollie, I'll see you later then." My bags were all packed and set in the corner. We walked out together; it would be another day of me walking in circles. I needed a Walkman to listen to music instead of everything churning in my mind.

Around four in the afternoon, Karen pulls up outside the apartment in her VW Bug. Dressed in casual clothes, she opens the door, and I give her a massive hug as she gets out. "It's fantastic seeing you, and I am grateful you came over. Let's go out." And we jump in the car.

Now, I’m under her control as she drives me to a pub. Oh no, this is going to cost me. All I could think was I needed to pay to get on her good side. I had my American Express card with me, which was a relief.

We chatted for over three hours, and I told her of my time so far. I told her about the nights I’ve been living through and hoped I could sleep on her couch for a short while.

We were enjoying her favorite drink, Jim Beam and Coke, and both of us were feeling happy. I was hoping she would say to come back with her right then and there. But no! "Ollie, no worries. I need to check with my roommate, and if he agrees, I will pick you up tomorrow morning."

HAPPY DAYS!

She wasn’t married, and I was happy to be in her company. I needed her to win over her roommate to say, “Sure, Ollie can stay.”

She dropped me off at the apartment, and I felt as if my best friend was about to leave me and never return. When I opened the door, all I heard from Mark and Wendy was, “Ollie, we’re glad you're home.”

The copper runs to the fridge, hands me a Tooheys beer, and says, "It’s time."

Oh No! Third night of case and carton ahead.

"Guys, I must confess: This will be my last night here. I am going to stay in another part of Sydney for a while. I am grateful that you have been so kind and generous—the best. I don’t know where I would be if it weren't for you both.”

They were both glad in some ways and disappointed in others, but I was definitely going to get some sleep tomorrow.

After another night of drinking and smoking, I felt as if I was fading away. I lost seven or eight pounds from the lack of food alone. We finished all the beers again, and I was out like a light.

I woke up the next morning while Wendy was making coffee. "What time is it?" I asked. "8:30 Ollie." I jumped up in anticipation of Karen arriving with good news. Mark was fast asleep, so I showered and got dressed. He was off work that day.

I grabbed my bags, had toast and coffee, thanked Wendy and Mark, and said goodbye.

Relieved to be leaving.

I went outside with all my luggage, awaiting Karen's arrival and praying for better days ahead.

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...ifOnlyi…short stories follow my true-life journey. If you've just found me, you can check out my publication and choose a story of interest or start from # 1.

** All images are created with AI assistance for Ollie.