Bo-Bo Found A Life -Chapter 17

 

 Bo-Bo Found A Life 

A Novel

By Paul McCann

 

Chapter 17

 

An Aussie Barbeque  

 

It’s a long way from Belfast City to the place where the Brumbies roam . Things were much different for Bo-Bo and Charlie but they were enjoying their first holiday in Australia .Bo-Bo and Charlie were very grateful for Charlies cousin Danno for everything he had done as his job as a diesel fitter kept him busy during the week which only allowed the weekends to have outings .

Bo Bo was sitting at the table looking through some magazines one morning while Charlie was washing up the breakfast dishes humming away to himself .

“Has it got words ?  Bo Bo asked ‘

Charlie stopped washing up and said  , 

“What do you mean Bo-Bo?” 

Bo-Bo smiled and  replied

“Your wee tune Charlie. “  Charlie lifted up his chest and had a happy smirk appeared on his face and he said .

“No Bo Bo its only a wee thing that’s in my head you know . It’s the same as when you’re walking down the street whistling to yourself  .”

Bo-Bo continued .

“You know what Charlie I think you should give it some words . Its a catchy wee number you have there Charlie .“

Charlie went over and sat down beside Bo-Bo at the table and said ,

“I don’t think I could do that . Its only a wee tune and I’m not good with words.”

“I like it anyway .” Bo-Bo said as he turned the pages of a magazine .

“Thanks Bo-Bo . I must have heard it on the radio or something as it’s in my head and I can’t get it out ?

Bo-Bo tried not to laugh and said .

“I’m thinking you should enter that show on TV , Australia Idol or the X Factor Charlie . You could hum them one of your wee tunes Charlie “

For a few moments Charlie was considering what Bo-Bo had said and replied . 

“I’d be too nervous to get up in front of those people and I’d probably forget the tune so its best I forget about that one Bo-Bo .”

Bo-Bo almost burst out laughing but composed himself and said . 

“ See your cousin Danno , he’s a champion Charlie?”

Charlie nodded and replied ,

“He’s brilliant for letting us stay here and all . It’s a pity he’s so busy at work . Wonder what diesel fitters do Bo-Bo ?”
Bo-Bo smiled and said ,

“They work on a production line with women’s jeans Charlie .  Sorting out the different sizes ?”

“ So how does he do that ?”

Charlie asked and Bo-Bo put his hands out in front of him and said .

“He picks up the jeans one and one and says , these will fit her and then he places them into a box for wrapping .“

Charlie looked impressed and said .

“But how does he know they will fit her Bo Bo ?”

Bo-Bo was trying hard to keep a straight face and replied .

“Because that’s his job Charlie , he’s a diesel fitter .“

Charlie stood up and said ,

“ That’s our Danno a true professional . I wish I could do that “

Bo-Bo looked at Charlie with a expression of disbelief and said .

“Sit down will you Charlie , I want to run something by you”

Charlie sat down and said .

“Fire away Bo-Bo.”

With a serious look on his face Bo-Bo  said 

“Well the things is Charlie I’m thinking maybe we should do something to thank Danno for all the trouble he’s gone to making us feel at home here . “

Charlie nodded his approval and replied 

“That’s a cracker of an idea so what can we do Bo-Bo ?”

Bo-Bo opened up the magazine and showed Charlie a picture and said 

‘In this magazine it talks about how Aussies love barbecues Charlie , so I’m thinking , maybe we could do a surprise barbecue for Danno and have everything ready for when Danno gets home from work tonight .“

Charlie was excited and replied ,

“Ok lets go them , no problem , a barbecue for Danno it is . So how do we do a barbecue Bo-Bo?”

Bo Bo looked through the magazine  and replied .

 

“There’s a lot of helpful hints in here and a list of things we need to buy to have a successful barbecue .“

Charlie replied ,

“Ok Bo-Bo , That’s what we need , it sounds like we have it all under control .‘

Bo Bo wrote a few things on a list before he stood up . He took his wallet from his pocket and counted out over two hundred dollars .Then he said  .

“Well first I’ll make sure that outside barbecue is clean and ready to go and you’ll be doing the same , put on some clean clothes Charlie and get yourself ready to go .Then we’ll head off to the shops to buy some of the things we need .”

Charlie said ,

“Ok , I’ll be right there “

And rushed off to his bedroom while Bo-Bo checked out the barbecue . To his surprise it was spotless clean like it had never been used . He turned on the gas and lit up all the burners . Everything worked perfectly . He could hear Charlie’s frantic call from inside ,

“Bo-Bo where are you .“I’m ready to go .”

Bo Bo turned off the gas and went back inside the house.

“Lets go Charlie .“

Said Bo-Bo but Charlie never heard him as he seems to be talking to himself . Bo-Bo stood back and watched as Charlie was rehearsing what seemed to be a debut performance on TV as he was saying .

“Thank you for inviting me on Australian Idol , my name is Charlie .. Tonight I am going to perform a tune that I made especially for you called the diesel fitting blues .“

Humming away to himself Charlie was in another world until Bo-Bo emerged with three shopping bags .in his hands saying  .

“Just as well you have a sympathetic audience . The tune needs work and still could use some words , now hurry up we haven’t time , the bus is leaving in five minutes , so say goodbye to your audience and lets go .“

Bo-Bo walked out the front door with Charlie rushing to keep up as they made their way down the street to the bus stop . Charlie started hopping like a Kangaroo trying to keep up with Bo-Bo who stopped and gave Charlie a stern look and said  .

“Charlie you’re starting to attract some attention . You’ll have us arrested now just stop the hop and begin walking like any normal person, will you. “

Charlie’s smile ran away from his face and he said .

 “Sure Bo-Bo , Sorry ,I’m just trying to fit in and look like one of the locals .”

Bo-Bo smiled and said ,

“Its ok Charlie . Don’t let it worry you . See  some people don’t know we’re on holidays and might not understand why a big lug of a lad like you would be hopping like a kangaroo all the way down the street .”

Charlie replied ,

“I suppose you’re right Bo-Bo. “

They just got to the bus stop in time as the bus pulled in . They paid their fare and took a seat .             The bus driver seemed to be in a hurry in the heavy traffic and now and then the bus driver would murmur away to himself in some strange language . In twenty minutes the bus pulled into the shopping centre where Charlie and Bo-Bo got off . The bus driver was still murmuring away to himself . Charlie looked at the driver and said

“ Have you got a tune for it  “

The bus driver looked puzzled and replied .

“What are you talking about ?”

Charlie replied .

“Your words , maybe they need a tune  to go with them .“

Bo-Bo shook his head and said ,

“Come on Charlie , we’ve no time to talk .“

The bus driver looked mad and started shouting .

“What’s wrong with him Bo-Bo ?”

Charlie asked and Bo-Bo replied .

“ He’s having problems with his bus today . Come on lets go .“

They went to the butchers , the baker and the liquor store and then Bo-Bo decided to take a taxi back as the next bus was an hours wait . It was a strange ride in the taxi with the driver talking with a broken English accent about the end of the world and how science and religion can never agree . Bo-Bo and Charlie just sat in the back seat and listened . The taxi left them at the front door of their house and Bo-Bo paid the fare . As the taxi sped away Charlie looked at Bo-Bo and said .

“Do you think he has a problem with his car ?”

Bo-Bo smiled and replied

“That’s a good call Charlie , that’s exactly what I was thinking too . Now Lets get this barbecue started .“

Bo-Bo opened up the magazine and began to check through the list of things they had bought  . From the shopping bags he took out the citronella candles , personal fly and mosquito repellent , zinc cream , barbecue sauce , meat , beer , fruit and vegies ,  an Esky and some party ice . Then he looked at Charlie and said ,

“I think that’s everything we need Charlie . Lets get this barbecue started .“

He handed Charlie some onions that had to be chopped up as well as some tomatoes and lettuce , then he went outside and took the kid off the barbecue . When he came back inside Bo-Bo could not believe what he saw . He took the knife from Charlie and said

“You need to remove the outer layer from the onion first before you chop it up Charlie and also you have to wash the lettuce and tomato under the water tap .

Charlie replied ,

“This is a great idea. Danno is going to be so impressed when he gets home .“

Bo-Bo handed back the knife to Charlie and said .

“I forgot to get the barbecue sauce Charlie so there’s a bus in 5 minutes . Can you put the meat on , the barbecue is ready to go .  I won’t be long Charlie . See you soon .”

Charlie nodded .

 “ No problem “

And started humming away as Bo-Bo ran to catch the bus . Charlie put the steak and sausages on a plate and went outside placing them on the grill of the barbecue and returned inside to cut up the tomatoes .

When Bo-Bo returned Charlie was still humming away his favourite tune . As he saw Bo-Bo he said .

“Its all good . The meats on the barbecue and everything else is chopped up “

B o-Bo went outside to check how the meat was going . The meat was still sitting on top of the grill but the burners weren’t lit and the meat was still raw .He came back inside and went over to Charlie and said .

“So you just put the meat on the barbecue then .“

Charlie proudly replies .

“I sure did Bo-Bo .“

Bo-Bo brought Charlie outside and pointed to the barbecue and the meat and said .

“ Charlie do you realise barbecues have a gas bottle and that you might have to light the gas to cook the meat ?”

Charlie looked up at the bright sun in the sky and then down at the meat on the barbecue . He touched the grill and cooktop of the barbecue and said .

“Its so hot here in Australia , I thought barbecues meant that the sun cooked the meat . I never knew it needed gas , I’m sorry Bo-Bo “

Bo-Bo was speechless . He lifted the box of matches from the barbecue and turned to knob and lit the burners and said .

“ Ok its that easy Charlie .The sun is not required . “

“Aren’t barbecues fun Bo-Bo . We should do this again .“

As the meat started cooking some uninvited guests arrived . Flies began to hover around the barbecue . Bo-Bo tried to swipe them away without any success .

“Charlie , can you bring out that insect spray and the citronella candles out for me ?”

Charlie went inside and returned a few moments later with a few of the candles and the insect repellent . He handed them to Bo-Bo and said .

“Are we going to cook with candles now Bo-Bo?”

“ What are you talking about Charlie ?”

“Its just all the flames on the burners are out “:

Bo-Bo looked and saw Charlie was right .

“That’s just great . Now the gas has run out . Come on Charlie we’ve got to get it refilled . Just as well you saw that .“

Charlie smiled again and said confidently ,

“So I done something good Bo-Bo ?”

“Yeah  , you did something good Charlie . Now we’ll have to ring a taxi as times ticking away .“

The taxi arrived and the driver took them to a gas refill and swap store outlet where they exchanged the empty gas bottle for a new one .

Within ten minutes they were back home again and were soon cooking with gas again . It wasn’t long before the steak and sausages were sizzling . Charlie watched as Bo-Bo put the party ice into the Esky and then the beers into the ice  . Charlie was a little confused and asked , 

“Bo-Bo why  don’t you just put the beers into the fridge instead ?”

“After doing some research Charlie I learned that in Australia people drink their beer cold and in Australia they bring their beer in an Esky with ice to keep it cold so when you’re in Rome, do as the Romans would do .“

The meat was cooked and the beer was cold and Danno arrived home . It was such a surprise for him to see everything done in an Aussie style . He walked around checking the meat and he grabbed a beer from the Esky and sat down and

“Good on you boys I was wondering if that Barbecue would work . Picked it up a garage sale just before you arrived . Did you have any trouble getting it fired up ? “

Bo-Bo and Charlie looked at each other and Charlie said .
“It was easy Cous . Easy as turning on a light switch .“

 

End Chapter 17

 

 Bo-Bo Found A Life 

Link to chapter 18

https://www.abctales.com/story/mcscraic/bo-bo-found-life-chapter-18

 

By Paul McCann