CYCLONE CHARLIE

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Written by bill neilson
Wednesday, 26 March 2008

Last Updated ( Wednesday, 26 March 2008 )

CYCLONE CHARLIE

A blanket of low, dark clouds obscured the city below. A cyclone off the north west coast had been stationary for two days. Now it was moving slowly out to sea, which was good, but it was also moving slowly south, which was less than good.

Simon Nelson looked with some concern down at the invisible city and wondered if the planned golf game would still be on. His wife Georgie joined him and asked the question.

"Don't know," he said, "Just about to ring them"

" Well, I don't think you should go Simon, that looks like one hell of a storm brewing down there"

"I'll see what the other guys reckon. Never know, this might blow over fairly quickly"

Simon and his two mates, Jack Smith and Trevor Baxter had known one another since high school. Marriage had separated them, but they had kept in touch and now in their early thirties managed a game of golf together most weeks.

Jack was on his second marriage, the first lasting just twelve months, and he and Sharon had been together for three and half years. Trevor and Carol had been together for five years and had two daughters, Rachel 3, and Beth 11 months. Simon and Georgie had three children, twins, Teena and Tess, 3, and William, 16 months. They had been married six years.

The game was on, and Simon was having second thoughts, not just because of Georgie's concerns either, he had a foreboding that something was not quite right.

As he drove down towards the city he was thinking of his wife's reaction when he told her that he was going to play today. She was not happy, and it was one of the very few times that he had left her in a bad mood. After saying goodbye to the twins, (William was still sleeping), he had received a silent farewell and been proffered her cheek when he went to kiss her.

And the weather wasn't getting any better. Middle of January and these summer cyclones were not unusual off the northwest coast of Australia. Normally they peter out before they can do much damage around the metro area, but this one, cyclone Charlie, obviously didn't know that and although it was weakening it could still prove to be a menace.

As he approached the golf course, Simon's foreboding was stronger than ever. Probably this bloody weather he thought.

The clouds were darker, thicker and lower as he parked his Commodore sedan. It was hot and very humid, ominously still and quiet. Like the calm before the storm? The car park was almost empty, just a dozen or so vehicles had ventured out. By the time he had his gear out of the boot the other two arrived together in Jack's Land Cruiser.

After some discussion, they had decided to play nine holes and see what was happening with the weather. And now at the third hole, a par three, the rain started. Slowly at first, big fat, individual drops that made little splashes as they hit. And with the rain came the promise of wind, not much more than a breeze at first, but Simon knew it would get worse, much worse.

They had played their tee shots and now Simon was anxious to go, "Come on you blokes, let's get out of here. This is going to be really bad."

"O.K. we'll just pick our balls up. Won't be a minute" Jack and Trevor were jogging down the fairway.

"For Christ's sake leave them" Simon was agitated now. The other two were in a bunker, searching. Bloody hell, how long does it take to find a golf ball? Suddenly Jack stood up and shouted, "SIMON, COME HERE. QUICKLY!"

By the time Simon reached them, Jack had Trevor out of the bunker and on his back.

"What the hell happened?"

Jack was preparing to start C.P.R on Trevor. "I think he's had a heart attack. Ring for an ambulance"

" Heart attack? Shit are you sure?"

"Of course I'm not sure. Just get the bloody ambulance"

Simon was fumbling with the phone clipped to his belt, rang the emergency number, gave the operator the details.

" Now ring down to the pro shop and tell them where we are. Get them to bring the ambulance straight here"

The rain was heavy now and the wind was gusting with increasing strength. Simon was trying to shelter Trevor with his umbrella as Jack worked on him, but the wind blew his umbrella inside out and he threw it to the ground and tried to shelter Trevor with his body.

Trevor had regained consciousness by the time the ambulance arrived and was placed on a stretcher by the two paramedics and loaded into the van. The weather was worse now and large puddles had formed on the fairway and the trees were being thrashed around fiercely by gale force winds.

"Either of you want to go with him?" the paramedic was about to close the rear doors.

Simon and Jack were soaked to the skin, "I think we should get in touch with the girls and let them know what's happening. We'll catch up with Trev at the hospital later."

"O.K. we'll take him straight to Royal Perth Hospital. You blokes take care."

As they walked towards the car park with Simon pulling Trevor's buggy as well as his own, he said, "You know Jack, I had a feeling ever since I got up this morning that something was going to happen today. Bloody glad you were there today mate, I would have been useless on my own."

The big man laughed, put his free arm around Simon's shoulder and said, "You were bloody useless anyway mate, but between us I reckon we done alright."

"You think he'll be O.K. Jack?"

Jack shrugged, "Out of our hands now. All we can do is hope for the best."

Simon entered Roe Highway at South Street. The rain was being blown almost horizontal by the cyclonic winds. Visibility was down to metres and at times it was impossible to see through the windscreen. Traffic was moving slowly, well below the limit of 100 ks. Heavy trucks were passing him as he maintained a speed of around 60ks and the dirty water from their tyres made conditions even more hazardous. He was gripping the steering wheel so tight his arms were aching. The force of the wind was making it difficult to control the car. The windscreen wipers were useless.

He was sweating beneath his already wringing wet clothes and his head was throbbing with tension. I think I better pull over into the emergency lane and rest for awhile he thought. But before he could do anything about that a huge gust of wind slewed the car into the right hand lane and into the path of a semi trailer truck laden with sea containers. The truck clipped the car and spun it side on and the last thing Simon heard was the blast of the truck's horn as it pushed him into a slow moving car. The heavy semi crushed the Commodore like tissue paper and as the truck came to a

stop the driver sat transfixed, staring at the windscreen, the blasting horn the only noise above the storm.

The ambulance was making slow progress as it headed for the hospital. "Can't go any faster Rob. This bloody weather couldn't be much worse" The driver was looking in the mirror at his partner.

"Don't worry about that Pete, there's no hurry for this one I'm afraid"

"Yeah. What a bastard. The cops get any I.D.?"

"Got his driver's licence. Someone's gonna have a bugger of a job"

In the eastern Hills suburb of Mundaring, Georgie is agitated. It's been four hours since Simon has rung. She has tried to ring his mobile without success several times. And now she has just managed to get the kids down for their afternoon nap. She's nursing another cup of coffee that she neither needs nor wants, and she's restless, can't sit still.

Suddenly the front door bell chimes sound unnaturally loud and she jumps involuntarily, makes her way to the door. Opens it.

A policeman and a policewoman stand there. "Mrs Nelson?" the woman asks.

"Mrs Simon Nelson?"

Georgie stands there trembling, can't answer.

"May we come inside?" The policeman makes a move towards her.

"Oh my God. No, no NO!"

The cup slips from her fingers as she faints to the floor.

From a bedroom comes the plaintive cry of a child.