–Personal Reflection on Australia –

–_Gelar’s Experience with the RFDS_–

Year 8 English: Creative Writing Task

The dry, rough terrain of central Australia, otherwise know as the outback, is the home of many desert animals and Uluru, the great landmark of Australia. The Australian outback is also the home of many Australian Aborigines, one of them being Gelar. Gelar, a seven-year-old loved exploring the great wilderness of his ancestors. He also loved to hear his toddler sister, Chokerre, sing the famous outback songs. But what he loved most was playing footy with his mates.

Each day during school, Gelar would dream of the late afternoon sun, beating down his back as he and his mates kicked the old, faded red football around the hard, dusty ground. And after school, his day’s dreaming would come true! The boys would play and play and not stop playing until the sun sunk below the horizon and the cool, night air settled into the Australian outback. Going to sleep, Gelar would always tell his mother that he wanted to become a famous AFL player one day.

After the daily football match, as the boys were walking home, Gelar usually thought about the weather, wondering why the rain had forgotten the outback again. (You see, there was a severe drought in the outback because there was often not much rain). But on one particularly humid day, storm clouds rolled in and the sun wasn’t seen. As usual, the boys played their afternoon footy match. A small drizzle started to fall as the boys kicked their first goal, and by the third quarter, the rain was really pouring down hard. The cracks in the ground soon disappeared and before long, the ground became slippery with red mud. Someone had suggested stopping the game, but Gelar and some other friends decided against it continuing to play on. But not long later, just as Gelar was about to score a goal for his team, lightning struck and Gelar lost his footing as he tried to dodge a dead tree’s falling limbs…

“Gelar! Gelar! Gelar, wake up! Wake up! You haven’t kicked you goal yet!” Coincidentally, passerby heard the group of boys cry, walking over and deciding to inspect the matter. “What has happened here?’ the passerby asked as he bent down to take a closer look at the still, limp boy. Standing up, the passerby told the two boys nearest to him, “Go, find the boy’s mother, inform her of what has happened, then call the Royal Flying Doctor Service and bring the mother out here. Obeying, the boys scampered off into the distance.

Not long after Gelar’s mother came with Chokerre in her arms, the RFDS arrived. The RFDS immediately took action, using a stretcher and took an unconscious Gelar to a major hospital in New South Wales. On the plane, an X-Ray was taken and it shown that both Gelar’s leg was broken, and parts of the bones in his arm were shattered. It was also clear that Gelar also had some third degree burns of where the struck tree had hit him. In the hospital, a more thorough check-up was completed and the Doctors put a cast his leg and surgery was done on Gelar’s arm. The burns were also treated accordingly.

TWO WEEKS LATER…

Gelar awoke from his coma for the first time to the sound of Chokerre singing her favourite song. “Chokerre? That’s lovely singing,” Gelar croaked weakly from his hospital bed. “Gelar! Gelar’s awake!” Chokerre broke off her singing and shouted. Nurses and Gelar’s tearstained Mother rushed into the room. The nurses checked Gelar and smiled a happy smile. This was one patient that was finally on the road to recovery!

On the plane ride back to the outback, Gelar reflected on the past few months. His burns were healing well and his casts were almost ready to take off. It was all because of a simple football match and bad weather. Not only were his arms and legs itching from the cast, but he was also itching with desire to go back and play his favourite sport.

Thanks to John Flynn for starting the Royal Flying Doctor Service, it had saved Gelar’s life and so many others in need.