Sneak a Peek

"I don't think so," I told him not a hint of triumph in my voice. "You're too new to the countryside to be capable of having seconds."

He gave me what could only be called an astonished what-the-fuck look.

"A country man," I lectured, "would know that if your trousers are down and your dangly bits are exposed then the first thing you don't do is sit on a bull-ants nest."

He looked down at himself to see dozens of the big ants on him. I guess they were attracted to the salt from his sweat. He gave a yell and bounced to his feet.

"The second thing you don't do is make sudden movements and try to brush them away, as this would startle them and make them sting you," I continued as he frantically tried to brush the brutes off him, starting to yell as they started to sting.

"If you should find yourself in this unfortunate situation you need to wash them away."

I pointed to where the hose was and Bobby shot across to get it, turning it on poor Mac.

"If bitten more than once it might be advisable to see a doctor as they're poisonous little buggers. You might need to strip completely as there could be more of them in your clothes."

While they were stripping and checking clothes I was dressing, checking my own clothes as I went. I made a note to tell my father about the nest. We'd have to get rid of that.

I strolled over to where Bobby had left the hose. While Mac and Booby were checking out Mac's wounds, quite a few from what I could see, I turned the hose on their clothes.

"You need to wash the bites," I said. "Wet clothes will help with that."

That done I hastened indoors, making sure I locked the door securely behind me. The two men got dressed and they got out of there. I suspected that Mac would need to visit the hospital. Those ants got him good. Riding all that way into town in wet clothes on very dusty roads - they'd be walking mud-heaps before too long.

I went and had a cool shower. That had been a most interesting experience.