Wake in Fright (1971)

Chips Rafferty: Jock Crawford

Photos 

Quotes 

• John Grant : Police have much to do in Bundanyabba?

  Jock Crawford : Nah. No, not really. We sort of... we just sort of keep an eye on things. Honestest little town in Australia this is, mate. But mind you, there re not too many game enough to try anything around here. You see, we're so isolated, there's nowhere to go. We get 'em, and quick.

  John Grant : Sounds like an easy life.

  Jock Crawford : Yeah, not bad. 'Course, we do have a few suicides.

  John Grant : Yeah?

  Jock Crawford : Yeah. Yeah, they reckon it's the heat. Me? Ha, ha... I like the heat!

  John Grant : Yeah, it's one way of getting out of town.

  Jock Crawford : What is?

  John Grant : Killing yourself.

  Jock Crawford : 'Ay, that's good! I like a bloke with a sense o' humour!

  [laughs] 

  Jock Crawford : Oh, killing yourself.

• [Crawford is visiting John in hospital after the latter has tried to kill himself] 

  Jock Crawford : I, uh, hate to trouble you, John, but rather than tire you, I thought I'd write down what had happened and you could sign it, okay?

  [reads a statement] 

  Jock Crawford : "The gunshot wound to my head was the result of an accident. I was visiting my friend, Clarence F. Tydon, after a hunting trip. I dropped my .22 rifle at the floor of his kitchen butt first, believing it to be unloaded. It exploded, and that's all I remember." That'll be about it, wouldn't it? Here.

  [hands a pen to John, who signs the statement] 

• Jock Crawford : [after showing him the Two-up school]  D'you get the idea now, Jack?

  John Grant : Well, you just bet on whether the pennies come down heads or tails.

  Jock Crawford : Yeah, that's right.

  John Grant : You think this crowd will be at each other's throats when they settle?

  Jock Crawford : Ah, there's hardly a fight. Each man knows what's coming to him, he just goes and gets it.

• Jock Crawford : [on the current Two-up spinner]  Yeah, Charlie always goes for eight hundred or bust. You gotta throw four heads in a row to do it, too.

  John Grant : And what does he do with the winnings?

  Jock Crawford : Well, nothing.

• Jock Crawford : [watching John drink a beer]  Better?

  John Grant : Yes, better. Thanks, mate.

  Jock Crawford : Have another one!

  John Grant : Oh... no, I don't really like to.

  Jock Crawford : One more beer, thanks, Joyce.

  [Joyce pours John another beer] 

  John Grant : [nervously]  Jock, you damn near saved my life just now, how 'bout... completing the job by giving me a cigarette, huh?

  [Crawford hands him one] 

  John Grant : Thanks.

  Jock Crawford : [lights the cigarette]  I thought you were pulling out of The Yabba on Saturday.

  John Grant : Hmm? Oh, yes, yes, I was.

  Jock Crawford : What went wrong?

  John Grant : Oh, I got involved.

• Jock Crawford : You, uh... you say you're a slave. What do you mean by that?

  John Grant : You wouldn't know how our educational authorities get teachers for the outback?

  Jock Crawford : Wouldn't have a clue, mate.

  John Grant : Now, a new teacher has to post a bond for a thousand dollars. That thousand guarantees you'll serve out your contract wherever they send you.

  Jock Crawford : Oh, well. I suppose they know what they're doing. You clever blokes never like to stop in the one spot long, do you?

  John Grant : Depends on the place.

  Jock Crawford : Heh, heh! Yeah, that's right. Well, never mind, Jack. You can always come to The Yabba for your 'olidays. Good luck!

  [drinks] 

  John Grant : Yes, that's something to look forward to.

• Jock Crawford : [taking John to another bar]  C'mon, the beer's real good here.

  John Grant : Oh, no, Jock, no. I'll pass out if I don't eat soon.

  Jock Crawford : [leaning against a poster advertising beer]  Well, it's easy to see you're not a Yabba Man.

  John Grant : A Yabba Man... a Yabba Man! *You're* the Yabba Man, Jock!

  [places Crawford's hand over the beer on the poster] 

  John Grant : The Bundanyabba Man!

  [laughs] 

  Jock Crawford : Alright, alright. C'mon, I'll show you where you can get a real good steak.

• [the lights dim in the RSL club. Everyone except John stands up] 

  Jock Crawford : [to John]  Get up, get up.

  [John stands up to face ANZAC-themed murals and fixtures] 

  RSL Announcer : Ladies and gentlemen... let us pay a tribute to our fallen comrades. "They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old. Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them".

  Jock Crawford , RSL Patrons : We will remember them.

  [moment of silence] 

  RSL Announcer : Lest we forget.

  Jock Crawford , RSL Patrons : Lest we forget!

  RSL Announcer : Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.

  [lights come back on]