Laconic Aussies

When my State Emergency Service story, "Bleeding Orange", got critiqued a few weeks ago, one comment that came up a few times was "Nobody seems to be reacting very much to the fact that there are aliens." That, of course, was part of the whole thing (one of my fellow Clarionites did get it, fortunately, but the fact that 15 others didn't means it's something I have to look at).

Anyway, an SES friend of mine sent 'round a link to a clip on YouTube of some people videoing a flash flood that happened last week near Muswellbrook in New South Wales. (Their mates up the valley must have phoned them and said, "Head out to where the creek crosses the road near your place. We've just watched a mammoth flash flood go past. Bring your video camera.")

You see the calm, tiny creek as it flows gently under the road. You pan left to see a huge gush of muddy water rocketing down the creek bed. It's roiling and FAST, and it's carrying bushes, trees, debris. You can hear it as it approaches. One person is standing back a bit, doing the taping. Two are standing down on the road near the creek bank. They edge back and back as the water bears down on them like a train. It roars across the road! It swirls back in ferocious eddies! It overwhelms the road! Trees sweep past as it barrels along the creek bed!

Finally, the two turn to go. As they walk back toward the camera, one says, "You don't see that every day."

The other one thinks about this for a moment.

"No."

The clip is here.