He placed the bundle of sticks he had gathered next to the fire and hurried over to his pack. ‘Umm, Ben, I’m sorry, but I think you’re sitting on my bag … I’ll just get the abs out, if that’s all right.’

‘Cheers, matey,’ I said, standing. The dry grind of arthritis made my movement jagged and slow. I raised my voice again so they could all hear. ‘You boys wanna remember: this is about survival. We’re blackfellas. We’ve survived for thousands of bloody years in the bush — without the need for any of this shit.’ I threw an accusing finger at the pile of bags and then let it linger on Chris, who had his back to the group. ‘Now, help Lance get them abs ready and we’ll cook ’em when I get back.’

‘Knee still sore?’ asked Chris, in a sympathetic tone. He was rummaging through his bag. ‘There’s some wrap in the kit, if you think that would help … Oh, bugger, looks like my lamp is broken.’

‘Just chuck us a shit roll, will ya?’ I said.

~

I rolled a joint after that, by the light of my head torch. I held on to each puff for as long as I could. Maximum benefit was a strong motto I lived by. So was work smart, not hard. And so the heritage game suited me: archaeological work, surveys, guiding. The work came in blocks but paid very well. And it was nearly always remote, so on top of the pay came allowances and accommodation. The money was good — great, in fact. But you had to make what you got last, even in the face of abundance. I wasn’t like some of our other mob in the game: two-bob millionaires while the coin was rolling in but who had Centrelink on speed dial for when the work dried up. I ran my thumb over the crumpled lid of the old spark-plug tin I kept my dope in. We were two days into the camp, and it was still pretty much packed.

Fucking ripper.

Of course, the old ‘drug-and-alcohol free’ bullshit applied — the usual thing. It was supposed to apply to everyone. But, in my eyes, that rule was for the young fellas — and Chris. I was supposed to be the role model. ‘Uncle Ben,’ they called me. I’ve never referred to myself as that, though. The way I was brought up, the status of Elder was given by those who respected you. The self-appointed ones either had something to prove or something to gain.