Crabing In Oz

[Chris Lawrence]

A bloke's wife goes missing while diving off the West Australian coast.

He reports the event, searches fruitlessly and spends a terrible night

wondering what could have happened to her.

Next morning there's a knock at the door and he is confronted by a

couple of policemen, the old Sarge and a younger Constable.

The Sarge says, "Mate, we have some news for you, unfortunately some

really bad news, but, some good news, and maybe some more good news."

"Well," says the bloke, "I guess I'd better have the bad news first?"

The Sarge says, "I'm really sorry mate, but your wife is dead. Young

Bill here found her lying at about five fathoms in a little cleft in the

reef. He got a line around her and we pulled her up, but she was dead."

The bloke is naturally pretty distressed to hear of this and has a bit

of a turn. But after a few minutes he pulls himself together and asks,

"what's the good news.......??

The Sarge says, "Well when we got your wife up there were quite a few

really good sized crays and a swag of nice crabs attached to her, so

we've brought you your share."

He hands the bloke a sugar bag with a couple of nice crays and four or

five crabs in it.

"Geez thanks. They're bloody beauties. I guess it's an ill wind and

all that... So what's the other possible good news?"

"Well," the Sarge says, "if you fancy a quick trip, me and young Bill

here get off duty at around 11 o'clock and we're gonna shoot over there

and pull her up again.....!"