Abacus

still lived with his mother and grandmother at the age of thirty-five. Randall often joked that if his mother ever wanted him out, she would have to take out a court order to evict him. He was the butt of many jokes, however, gave as good as he got. He had a tremendous sense of humour and provided plenty of entertainment in the office. His indecisiveness aside, Georgie G was a very reliable and dependable member of the team.
    “Boss , you right to go?”
    “You got ke ys?” Randall asked, pulling his jacket from his chair.
    Today was Tuesday, and at midday on Tuesday everyone went to Farley’s for lunch and coffee. Randall saw it as a good opportunity for his hardworking staff to get together once a week to chat and talk shop outside of the work environs.
    From the passenger ’s side, Randall watched Georgie move the seat adjustment to the full forward position to accommodate his squat frame. Randall was well aware of what would come next. “So, boss,” Georgie said, upbeat. “Which way do you reckon will be the quickest today?”
    Randall look ed straight ahead and without expression. “For Christ sakes, Georgie, we’ve been driving to this place for a couple of years now, which means you have made this trip almost a hundred fucking times. Make a bloody decision, son.”
    Under unwanted pressure, Georgie gripped the steering wheel tightly, squinted as if in pain, and finally blurted out, “Okay, boss, we’ll go Canterbury Road.”
    Driving from the compound, Georgie seemed comfortable with his decision until… “Big mistake, mate. I wouldn’t have picked that way myself, the traffic will be insane.” His suggestion had the desired effect as Georgie G fidgeted and appeared to second-guess his bold decision.
    Tapping on the sides of the steering wheel like a pinball machine, he asked, “Well, which way would you go, boss?”
    Ran dall looked at him and shook his head. He was truly one of the great procrastinators. Having had his fill of amusement, he put him out of his misery. “Only dicking with you, mate, Canterbury Road is as good as any.” Georgie relaxed in his seat and smiled again. “I hope you don’t have too many more rash decisions from here on in,” he joked. Sitting idly in the Sydney traffic, Randall took the opportunity explore the inner Georgie G. “Georgie G, I’ve got a question for you, but it is of a personal nature, if that is okay?”
    George grinned. “I had a feeling you hadn’t finished with me. Anyway fire away, boss, you know I’m an open book.”
    “ Well, Georgie, you must know that decision-making is not your great strength. But having said that, you do have great attributes in other areas.” Georgie nodded, he would know there was a sting in the tail coming. “Anyway, getting back on track, I’ve gotta know, with your indecisiveness, how do you manage to organize a sexual encounter with a woman.” Georgie G turned down the radio and smiled as Randall continued with his explorative questioning. “Because there are plenty of decisions to be made in that area, my friend. Firstly there’s whether or not to ask her out? Where to take her, dinner or dancing? After a successful night out, your place or mine?” Randall stopped momentarily. “Sorry, Georgie, mum and granny are at your place, so it’s obviously their place. Then we get to the sex bit. Who’s on top, you or me? What position now? And the list goes on and on.” Georgie laughed at Randall’s observations. “It just seems that you would be way out of your depth, there are way too many considerations in the dating game thing, you know.”
    Georgie G pushed back from the steering wheel until he was casually leaning back in his seat. With one hand on the wheel, he pushed his sunglasses down his nose with the other, and peered over the frame. “Don’t worry about me and the laaaadddddies, boss. It is the one activity in life where I know exactly what to do first time, every time.”
    Randall laughed out lo ud. “Of course you do, Georgie, of course you do.”
    * * *
    Farley’s was a large popular café on a main street at Five dock that sold good strong coffee and large meals. The team sat in the same private corner of the café, out of hearing from other patrons.
    Randall took his usual seat at the end of the table, facing the entry door. This was a force of habit. He always had to be facing the door. He could only put it down to watching too many westerns where cowboys would be shot in the