Prime Mover

Once upon a time in a town called Dubbo,

at the crossroads of the mighty Newell and Mitchell Highways--

No one listens to me.

Especially not him,

Thomas. He never listens.

He works beside me at the depot. I fix 'em, he cleans 'em.

We send 'em off, loaded and shiny all over, everywhere.

My son, my son.

He lives with us.

He's full of dreams.

But we worry he doesn't finish anything.

I try to tell him.

Working with your hands, now that's something to be proud of.

But he loves trucks, loves the look.

Loves the sound of them.

Thomas loves the idea of them.

He's under their spell.

So even though he's a natural pin striper,

with the eye and the hand for it,

he dreams of owning his own truck.

Dreams of being in the driver's seat,

out on the open road.

He sees the owner-drivers, and he thinks 'power'.

- How you going? You good? - Good.

So, instead of doing what he's good at,

he goes out with the drivers from the depot to get his hours up.

To get his licence.

Come on. Get in.

And then one day, down at the servo--

Jeez Tom, why can't you just finish something.

We let you leave school early so you could do your panel beating...

and you walked away from that to join the army

and you walked away from that.

He sees Melissa.

And he sees something more beautiful,

more beautiful than a Western Star Constellation with a Detroit diesel.

Here.

Dreamy boy. Make yourself useful.

That's $37.50.

Here you are.

You should go after your dreams, shouldn't you?

What dreams are they?

Big ones.

So what now, Clever Dick?

- I got a plan. - Yeah, I got a plan too.

Let's go and have a couple of beers.

Hey Thomas, you want to paint these up for me mate?

Something nice and fancy.

Sure.

Dad!

Bob! Bob! You okay? Bob's under it! Get it up.

Get it off! Get it off him!

Tom.

- Lift, lift, lift! - Tom get out of the way. Tommy! Tom!

- Dad! Dad! Dad! Dad! - It'll be alright.

You're in the way son. Get out of the way.

There's nothing you can do mate. There's nothing you can do.

Give our brother Robert peaceful rest in this grave...

until that day when you, the resurrection and the life,

will raise him up in glory.

Then may he see the light of your presence Lord Jesus...

in the kingdom where you live.

Since almighty God has called our brother Robert...

from this life to himself, we commit his body to the earth.

- Hey. - Hey.

Where's Dad?

I'm sorry.

You want an Aspro?

An Aspro. Makes you feel better.

I'll get you one.

I'm sorry Mum.

I just couldn't get it off him.

Tom. It's not your fault baby.

I just couldn't get it off him.

Hey. I know you couldn't. I know that you tried.

You tried so hard and no one's blaming you.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry Mum.

What are we going to do?

You didn't have to come in here today.

It's a fair effort. You'll make a good quid out of this.

Yeah.

Till I drive myself a rig.

You stick with this.

Yeah, yeah. Stick with this. Stick with the painting. Stuff him.

Who do you reckon he's saying that for?

You or him?

You wanna drive? Drive.

Right?

Alright.

Number 2.

$20.

20.

How are those dreams coming along?

Still big.

My car.

Do you like it?

Is that one of your dreams?

Yeah. It's a piece of shit.

I didn't want to say that.

Well, would you wanna go for a burn in it?

- A burn? - Yeah.

Where have you been?

Go on.

I can't, I'm working.

Well, not now.

- I didn't mean right now. - Well when then?

When you finish.

What for?

- What, what for? - I don't even know you.

Well, I work over the depot.

I mean you must've seen me. I see you all the time.

10 o'clock, alright?

10.

I got my own 2-step together.

Gonna save the first slow dance for you.

I just saw Venus risin' guess I'm realisin'

I'm not mama's little girl no more

and you're the first to know.

I ain't mama's little girl no more.

Took a little time to grow.

It's gonna be--

- Did I give you a fright? - No.

- What were you singing? - Nothing.

I'm sorry I'm late.

- I've never seen you over there. - Really?

I've been painting stuff over there for ages.

How long?

Weeks.

That long?

Well at least you're not one of those dickhead truck drivers.

Where are we going?

Maybe we could go back to your place.

You're a fast worker,

I live with my Mum.

- So do I. - Good catch.

Give us a kiss.

- Why? - What?

- Why should I? - It'd be good.

Says you.

You're a good sort, you know that?

How about you take this good sort home?

I get the idea that your Mum would be inside.

She is.

You won't be.

Go on.

Go.

- Where have you been? - Nowhere.

Come here. Nowhere. Who do you think you bloody are?

You don't even know him.

He doesn't want to sit around all day getting off his face.

He wants to do something.

So he's special, like you.

Won't be so special when he gets you up the duff!

Yeah, that's a fair effort.

Mate, you're bloody good at this work, you know.

It's a real head turner.

I know some blokes they want some work done on their trucks, so...

anytime you want to come in here on the weekends to the paint shop,

use it, you go for your life.

Yeah.

Thanks. I-- but I just--

I need-- I really need to get my hours up.

Doing some driving.

Thanks anyway.

Well I'm going off to Perth tomorrow with a load,

so you can come with me if you want.

I'll see if you're cut out for it.

Sweet.

- I've got something for you. - Have you?

But I don't know if you deserve it.

Fine.

What is it?

It's you.

Melissa, warrior queen of the bowsers.

Is that me?

Yeah.

It's a good picture. You're a good drawer.

Hold on.

- Where are you going? - Just wait.

- Here. - What's that?

It's gypsy music.

- My dad was a gypsy. - Yeah?

Well I'm a bit of gypsy. Truckies are like gypsies.

- More like cowboys. - Cowboy gypsies.

- I'm still waiting for that kiss. - Well you're gonna be waiting a long time.

Good.

What do you mean 'good'?

Well, you could've said it was never going to happen, but you didn't.

There's light at the end of the tunnel.

Something to look forward to.

Can I put some music on?

- Yeah, go for your life. - Yeah?

Cassette.

There you go.

What do you call that?

- It's gypsy music. - Yeah.

It's alright, isn't it?

Gypsy music.

Who's that?

Him? He's Saint Christopher. He's the saint of drivers.