Serial - Reggie and Flo Tripping in Bali

Episode 1 – 'Reggie Dips Out!'

Reggie was a fairly predictable bloke who had worked at the Water Board all his working life. Every Friday after work, Reggie would drive to his local pub after first withdrawing some of his wages from the ATM. He generally arrived there around 2pm in the afternoon. Reggie would drink with his mates until 6pm and more often than not, he called a taxi cab to get his worse-for-wear body home to his wife. This had been a kind of ritual for most of his married life and he knew when he arrived home, Flo would tell him how pissed he looked and plonk his dinner on the dining table, then walk off to watch telly.

There was a distinct coolness in Flo’s attitude that night and Reggie kinda figured he knew why. Reggie was due long service leave from the Water Board, a total of two months. He had already figured out where he wanted to go for his holidays – the same place as they had always gone, down to his mate’s shack on the beach 200 kilometres south of Perth. Here Reggie could relax, fish all day and drink all night.

When Reggie woke up some four hours later, the kitchen was in darkness and Flo had retired to bed. Having slept off most of the booze consumed earlier that afternoon, Reggie went to bed for his usual bit of Friday night slap n’ tickle. This too had become a ritual in their lives. Reggie slipped into bed beside Flo. She turned her back to him and slapped his advancing hands.

“What’s the matter darling?” Reggie asked, “You know its Friday night and we always…”

Flo interrupted with a defiant tone in her voice.

“Reggie, Friday night’s are out and so is every other bloody night from now on”.

“But honey” Reggie whimpered.

“Reggie, your long service starts in two weeks and I want a holiday. Not just that bloody shack down south. I want a real holiday” Flo stated emphatically.

Reggie rolled onto his back and stared blankly at the ceiling. What could be a better holiday than fishing all day with your mates, he thought. Perhaps Flo wanted to go up country to see her sister at the farm. I could live with that, he mumbled to himself, but only for a couple of days after spending some weeks down south. Reggie turned to face Flo hoping the peace offering of a visit to her sister’s place would solve the situation and also relieve the aching in his groin. Reggie spoke coyly.

“Hey darling, I got a good idea. We can go and see your sister. It’s been a while I know, but we could manage a few days before we head down south”

Flo grunted. “Fuck you, I want a holiday…a real holiday”

Reggie sat up, startled his wife used that word. She never liked it, except of course when they were intimate.

He placed his hand on Flo’s shoulder. She turned over to face him.

“Reggie, I want to go to Bali. Marjorie at the bowling club went there for a month and she loved it”

“Bali?. Whereabouts in Australia is it Flo and I’ll take you there” Reggie said, hoping his wife would be pleased.

Flo shook her head. “Reggie you are a dumb ass sometimes. Bali is in Indonesia. We go there by plane” she sighed and continued “In Australia!…honestly Reggie, you give me the shits with your stupidity”

Reggie’s mouth was wide open. He stared at Flo.

“Flo, that’s a bloody foreign country. It’ll be dangerous. Knowing my luck, they’ll be head-hunters there and shit like that. Besides, ya probably can’t even get beer there”

By now, Flo had sat up, hands on her hips. “Bullshit Reggie!. When I spoke to Marjorie about Bali, she told me it was a very romantic place. In fact, she reckons that her hubby couldn’t get it up he enjoyed himself that much”

“Romantic eh. If I decide to go along with this holiday fantasy of yours Flo, how long do we have to be there for?”

Flo burst into laughter. She knew there was three ways to convince her husband to do something: Beer, food and sex, with the latter being on top of the list. Flo looked straight into Reggie’s eyes as romantically she could.

“Reggie darling, it’ll only be for a month. You’ll have such a good time there. Just imagine every day being like a Friday night”

He grinned, placed his hand on Flo’s left breast and whispered in her ear.

“I’ll go to the travel agent on Monday darling after work and get some brochures”

To be continued