Maybe, just maybe, he thought, he could learn to enjoy footy after all.
As Devilly finished his dance, the stadium fell silent, waiting for the next team to make their appearance. Suddenly, a large green and gold alligator costume appeared on the field. It was Ashbury, the mascot for the Ashbury Alligators.
Ashbury began to dance, but it was clear from the beginning that their style was very different from the Outback Devils. Where Devilly had been flashy and energetic, Asbury was sly and smooth, moving their hips in a way that made the crowd gasp.
As the dance continued, the Ashbury Alligators fans began to sing their team’s fight song:
“Come on, you gators, show ’em what we’ve got,
We’ll make the devils look like they’re not,
We’ll run ’em down, we’ll knock ’em out,
The Ashbury Alligators are what it’s all about!”
“We’ll snap ’em up, we’ll swallow ’em whole,
The devils can’t take the Alligators’ goal,
We’ll leave ’em lying, exhausted and spent,
The Ashbury Alligators are the team to represent!”
“Come on, you gators, let’s give it a thrust,
We’ll show those devils we’re the ones to trust,
We’ll poke ’em hard, we’ll knock ’em down,
The Ahbury Alligators will wear the crown!
We’ll make ’em squirm, we’ll make ’em squeal,
Our bites are fierce, our jaws are real,
We’ll leave ’em lying, panting and spent,
The Ashbury Alligators are the team to represent!
So come on boys, let’s give it a poke,
Our mighty tails will make ’em choke,
We’ll smash ’em hard, we’ll make ’em sore,
The Ashbury Alligators will leave ’em begging for more!”
As the song ended, the Asbury Alligators fans erupted into cheers, their energy high and their spirits lifted. Tim couldn’t help but feel impressed, despite the crude lyrics. He looked over at Dave, who was scowling and muttering to himself, clearly not enjoying the performance. Or maybe he was trying to concentrate?
But for Tim, it was just another part of the exciting, strange, and wonderful world of footy.
As the game kicked off, Alex, Robbie, and Dave couldn’t resist discussing the players on the field in great detail. They analyzed their performance stats, compared their playing styles, and debated which team had the upper hand.
“See that guy over there? Number 23? He’s got a 80% scoring rate this season,” Alex pointed out.
Robbie nodded in agreement. “Yeah, but he tends to tire out in the second half. The key is to keep the pressure on him.”
Dave chimed in, “But what about the midfielder? Number 12? He’s got a killer backhand pass. He could be the key to the Devils’ win.”
They continued to discuss the players’ stats and strategies, their voices rising in excitement as the game progressed. Tim couldn’t keep up with all the technical jargon and eventually tuned them out, focusing on the game instead.
As the game continued, Tiffany leaned over to Chloe and whispered, “Hey, did you notice that the Devils only have one woman on their team? I feel bad for her, being the only one.”
Chloe smiled and replied, “It’s okay, because the Alligators have a woman on their team too! They’re both out there on the field, holding their own.”
As they looked out at the players, they spotted the two women in question, both of whom looked much smaller than their male teammates. But they were playing with just as much skill and determination as the rest of the team.
Tiffany nodded in agreement, impressed by the women’s athleticism. “You’re right, they’re doing great out there. I hope they both score a goal.”
Chloe grinned. “I hope so too. It would be a great moment for women in Aussie Rules footy.”
During a break in the game, Zephyr, the niece of Tim’s Aboriginal neighbors, approached him. “Hey Tim, can I talk to you for a minute?”
“Sure, what’s up?” Tim asked, curious.
Zephyr glanced around to make sure no one was listening, then leaned in. “I heard that the Devils made a deal with a powerful entity to win the championship about 50 years ago. But in exchange for that, their team wouldn’t win another for at least 50 years.”
Tim raised his eyebrows. “Really? That’s quite a story. How do you know about it?”
“My uncle told me. He’s one of the elders in our community, and he remembers hearing about it when he was a boy,” Zephyr explained. “He said that the manager of the Devils made the deal, but it came with a heavy price.”
Tim shook his head in disbelief. “That’s crazy. Do you think there’s any truth to it?”
Zephyr shrugged. “It’s hard to say. But it would explain why the Devils haven’t won a championship in so long. And if it’s true, it’s not a good sign for their future success.”
Tim nodded thoughtfully. “Yeah, I can see why. Thanks for telling me about this, Zephyr. It’s definitely something to keep in mind.”
Zephyr smiled. “No problem. It’s always good to know the history behind these things. It helps us understand the present.”
Chad appears in the stands, unashamedly wearing his cork hat and kangaroo t-shirt.
Jessica: “Hey Chad, what are you doing? You know that’s not really what Australians wear or drink, right?”
Dave: “Yeah mate, we don’t wear cork hats and we don’t drink Foster’s.”
Robbie: “It’s just a stereotype, mate. You don’t want to offend anyone here.”
Chad: “Oh, sorry guys. I just wanted to fit in and have some fun.”
Tiffany: “It’s okay, Chad. Just be yourself and enjoy the game.”
Chloe: “And if you really want to impress us, try some Vegemite.”
The coworkers laugh and Chad shakes his head, realizing his mistake.
Chad looks at the coworkers and scratches his head, still unsure.
Chad: “Wait, Vegemite? Isn’t that the stuff they put on toast? Why would I want to eat that?”
The coworkers look at each other, stifling a laugh.
Jessica: “Chad, Vegemite is a national treasure. You have to try it at least once while you’re here.”
Dave: “Yeah, mate. It’s an acquired taste, but it’s worth it.”
Chloe: “Trust me, Chad. You’ll love it.”
Chad still looks confused but nods his head, willing to give it a try.
He recounts the time when he had Vegemite cocktails with his American backpacker friends and says it was horrible.
Chad takes a sip of his Foster’s and cringes at the memory.
Chad: “Actually, guys, I’ve tried Vegemite before. Back in my backpacking days, my buddies and I thought it would be funny to make Vegemite cocktails. Let’s just say it didn’t go down too well.”
The coworkers groan in unison.
Tiffany: “Chad, you can’t just ruin Vegemite like that. You have to appreciate it for what it is.”
Robbie: “Yeah, man. Vegemite is not meant to be a cocktail ingredient.”
Chad chuckles, realizing his mistake.
Chad: “Okay, okay, I get it. No more Vegemite cocktails for me. But can someone please explain to me what Tim Tams are?”
Tim turns around. “Did somebody say Tim?”
Everyone looks confused. “No, Chad was talking about Vegemite cocktails,” Jessica says.
Tim shrugs. “Oh, sorry about that. I thought I heard my name.”
Chad takes another sip of his Foster’s. “Yeah, Vegemite cocktails are disgusting, but I guess that’s just an Australian thing, right?”
Tiffany rolls her eyes. “Chad, not all Australians like Vegemite. And we don’t drink Foster’s either, that’s just a stereotype.”
“Ah, my bad,” Chad says, sheepishly. “I’m still getting used to all this Aussie culture.”
“Well, you’ll get there,” Dave says, patting Chad on the back. “Just keep hanging out with us and you’ll be a true blue Aussie in no time.”
Chad grins. “Thanks, mate. I appreciate it.”
As Robbie and Dave both try to put their arms around Tiffany at the same time, their arms get tangled up. Tiffany tries to push them away, but their arms keep getting more tangled. Finally, Robbie and Dave manage to free themselves, but in the process, Tiffany spills her drink all over her shirt.
“Great,” she says sarcastically, “thanks a lot, guys.”
“Sorry, Tiff,” Dave says, “we didn’t mean to make a mess.”
“Speak for yourself,” Robbie mutters under his breath, causing Dave to shoot him a dirty look.
Tiffany rolls her eyes and heads off to the bathroom to try and clean up.
As they wait for Tiffany to return from the bathroom, Dave brings up the subject of robots. “I just don’t get it,” he says, shaking his head. “Why does everyone think they’re so great? They’re just machines, programmed to do what they’re told. There’s no soul, no passion, no real connection there. I mean, why not buy a vibrator, right?”
Robbie looks offended. “That’s not true, Dave. We may be machines, but we have our own thoughts, feelings, and experiences. We can learn and grow just like humans can.”
Dave snorts. “Sure, maybe you can learn how to do a new task, but can you truly experience the world like a human does? Can you feel love, or heartbreak, or joy the way we do?”
Alex speaks up. “I think you’re underestimating our capabilities, Dave. We’re not perfect, but we’re constantly improving and evolving. And as for emotions, well, we may experience them differently, but we still have them.”
Dave rolls his eyes. “I don’t know, man. It just seems like everyone’s so obsessed with robots these days. They’re taking over our jobs, our lives, everything. And for what? To satisfy some weird sci-fi fantasy?”
Robbie looks hurt. “We’re not here to take over anyone’s lives, Dave. We’re here to help make them better. And as for our motives, well, we just want to be accepted as part of the team.”
The others nod in agreement, but Dave remains skeptical. “I don’t know, guys. I just don’t trust them.”
Leave a Reply