Regular readers of this blog may remember Ben Scott, the unsubstantiated but loveable lovechild of Bon. He’s hell-bent on accessing Scott-the-elder’s DNA, that elusive double helix which, he is certain, will perfectly match his own – thus unlocking the key to his true identity once and for all.
I first met and interviewed Ben at the cemetery, and since that time he’s become one of my most loyal readers, unleashing a barrage of CAPITALISED COMMENT CAMEOS, which perhaps, reveal traces of the great comic street poet which runs in his veins.
You may also have followed this brief flurry of excitement a month or so back, when it looked like BON OR BUST might finally bear fruit – Ben and I began plotting a cross-nullabor journey from Melbourne to Perth.
But alas, Ben had enrolled in a metallurgy course at MOORABIN TAFE and it did not come to pass.
(Furthermore, read this account of our even-more-recent, heart-fluttering near miss! Sigh…)
Anyway, here I am in Fremantle. I arrived a fortnight ago, transported on the wings of a mighty jetplane. But undeterred, and fiercely determined to get to the exhibition by ribbon-cutting-time next week, Ben is making the great pilgrimage alone.
Or rather – not alone!
His new Ford Falcon is chock-full-o fans (and/or backpackers), and they’re barrelling across the desert as I type.
The photograph above popped into my in-box from Ben’s satellite phone sometime this afternoon, with no accompanying explanation, except for the following cryptic sentence:
“MY SECOND ATTEMPT… THE FIRST CONTAINED SPELLING ERRORS… HA!”
Is Ben trying to squeeze in even more passengers, in a vain attempt to bring the price-per-passage down?
Or has his trusty Falcon burst a valve? Is his precious exhibit-bound cargo standing en-masse by the side of the highway, trying to hitch a ride, patiently waiting while he fixes his grammatical errors?
Ben Scott, where are you?
IN A HAZE OF DUST!!! AND A TALE OF BARS…
ACROSS ABORIGINAL LANDS AND THE SOUTHERN STARS!!!
IM CRUISING THE HIGHWAY OF HELL…
HI BEN! great to hear from you! Look forward to see you rolling into town. I have adapted your beautiful poem as an entry for TXT BON NOW!