Metho Drinker

Essay by John_ElmsHigh School, 11th gradeA+, May 2004

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As the winter sun begins to rise above the towering buildings of the city of Brisbane, Burnum Yileen, a young, aboriginal man lies on a park bench, passed out from the night before. His blanket is a page of yesterday's newspaper yet he is not cold, for his bottle of Metho, the contents now consumed, fills his body with a fiery warmth.

Burnum was awakened by the screech of the first train into Central station, which would bring with it the cruel, upper-class businessmen and women. As they swiftly advanced out of the station and across the park, Burnum received several stares of disgust from them. He went through this situation everyday and on the outside it seemed that he was used to it but on the inside he becomes filled with shame and regret every single time.

As Burnum gazed at the ground, he noticed his empty bottle of Metho. If he didn't replace it by the evening he would go to sleep with the same emotions he felt now. Metho was Burnums 'white and burning girl'. It would warm his heart and ease his soul. Without it he would experience the scariest of nightmares, the type of which Burnum could simply not live with. Without a second thought, Burnum rose from his bench and stumbled into the city where his quest for four dollars and eighty-nine cents, the price of a bottle of Metho, would commence.

Along the way he received more of those stares of disgust which he passionately despised, filling his heart with more sadness. Burnum also walked past many others in the same struggle as himself. He didn't conversate with them much but they were the closest thing to friends he had. "Ya' look like a wreck today, Burns," an elderly, aboriginal...