Lawful Witness

In little towns the big events are locally presented, and every family in the town is usually represented. Shopkeepers shut their doors when a pioneer curls his toes, and if someone’s up to mischief, then everybody knows. Every sporting club is well supported, right down to the wire, they are the social hubs of towns to set the youth on fire, through footy clubs and netball clubs combining into one to sing and dance the night away, promoting local fun. Of course when youth is mixed with party love can fill the air, so Cupid’s firing arrows through the hearts of those who care. This sometimes leads to earnestness when love gets in the way; the town is now preparing for there’ll be a wedding day. There’s heaps of preparation from the family of the bride; flower girls and pretty maids to stand right by her side. There’s the minister and invitations; the caterers are right. All the groom must think about - “Are you coming to the bucks night?” It’s half past five and dawn is breaking; we’re coming back to town. God knows who is driving but their foot is going down. There’s nugget, sauce and butter, smeared over everything; the bucks party is over now - it’s ten hours ‘til the wedding. And now coming up behind us is a mass of flashing light, when a siren started blaring; we thought it better to take flight. We shot around some back streets trying to lose this cop, then someone with a drunken slur, said “I think we better stop.” Popularity is not the word that I would say is spoken next. This angry cop took any plea completely out of context. He wouldn’t listen to a word that’s said, repeating “That’s enough!” before I heard the second click of a closing set of handcuffs.” In a cell back at the station there’s a pall of doom and gloom. And there’s a hint of panic when it’s mentioned in the room, by the cop who indicated strongly that by giving him some flack, we’re gunna stay locked up until his Sergeant arrives back. I made every kind of plea I could, but this cop avoids my dreading. He said “Young lad you’re lucky; my Sergeants at his daughters wedding, so he’ll be in a good mood when he greets you in this room.” “Don’t bloody count on it” I said - “Because I’m the flamin’ groom!”