Dirty Work

You got to bring the bacon home too? It's a pretty dodgy world, friend-o, let's be clear. It'll involve getting the hands a bit dirty, on the odd occasion. Just getting by'll require a corner or two being cut, once in a while. Keeping the home fires burning could mean having to take some poor sod out altogether. Just putting food on the table might entail nicking it in the first place. Furthermore, in order to make ends meet, the truth may warrant, at times, a damn good stretching. Some of this DIRTY WORK will inevitably come to the attention of the cops. Don't worry, that's only natural.

A parish priest under the pump, a band on the make, a celebrity chef on the lam, a family of dedicated recyclers hard at it, a put-upon author with an axe to grind, a disappointed developer on the prowl, a pastor with a new take on an old theme, a lawyer on the case, an elderly aunt off with the fairies, a PA with unfortunate connections, and a miracle or two thrown into the mix. And the youngest detective in South Australian police history on their collective tails. And that's just the humans. There's even more DIRTY WORK going on right under their noses, although they're too busy just getting by to notice. DIRTY WORK is hard-boiled detective parody. A parable in four parts, dishing out the hard facts of life, shit-house though most of them may be. Like it or lump it, whatever you happen to be.

Detective-Sergeant Eddie Martin, nursing a cappuccino, is getting the lowdown on this Brett Sody character from the squad's number one; Detective Pete Young, who's nursing an organic chai latte with almond milk, extra turmeric and extra ginger. As usual, the lad's been thorough. He takes a big sip of the chai and gets his notebook out. DS: 'So, Pete. This Brett Sody, what's the story with him? What'd you find out?' DP: 'Righto; B.S. was born in St. Kilda, Melbourne, 1958. Family moved to Adelaide when he was 14. DS: 'Got a record?' DP: 'Put out a few back in the 90's as a member of 'The Love Mussels' DS: 'Police record, Pete' DP: 'Zip' DS: 'Right, so he's one of those muso types' DP: 'Played in a lot of bands' DS: 'What's he do for a crust, this Sody character?' DP: 'Got his own recording studio' DS: 'That a fact? What's it called?' DP: 'SodyPop' DS: 'Isn't that an Asian soft drink?' DP: 'He had the name first' DS: 'Anything else?' DP: 'Won Most Outstanding Studio Engineer at the 2000 S.A. Music Industry awards' DS: 'Yeah, okay, big deal. What else?' DP: 'Inducted, 2016, into the S.A. Music Hall of Fame' DS: 'What for, Pete?' DP: '25 years of unquestionable musical excellence' DS: 'Okay not bad, that it? What about writing?' DP: 'Wrote and produced A Journey Through the Past' DS: 'Bullshit, that's Neil Young, everybody knows that' DP: 'Not the Neil Young album, this was a stage play. Based on Neil & Me, by Scott Young' DS: 'Never heard of him' DP: 'Neil's dad' DS: 'Oh yeah, how'd it go? DP: 'Not bad, put on four sell-out shows; 2012 and 2013, Adelaide Fringe' DS: 'That it now? DP: 'Wrote the screenplay for 'Home':18 minute short film' DS: 'I'm beside myself' DP: 'Won an Award of Excellence at the 2014 Canada International Film festival in Vancouver' DS: 'Big deal. So what's he done since?' DP: 'Been working on his trilogy of novels' DS: 'Oh Jesus, not another writer' DP: 'Afraid so, yeah, yet another one' DS: 'Tragic. All right then, go on, what's this trilogy called?' DP: 'The Dirty Works' DS: 'The Dirty Works? You in it?' DP: 'Amongst others' DS: 'How many out so far?' DP: 'The first two. Dirty Work and More Dirty Work' DS: 'I know I'll regret asking, but what are they about, Pete?' DP: 'Shall I read you his spiel?' DS: 'Go on, humour me' DP: 'An on-going satire about the struggle to get by, whatever you might be' DS: 'Spare me. Spoofs, are they?' DP: 'Sort of. He's working on the third as we speak. Dead-set keen he is' DS: 'What's he calling that one?' DP: 'Dirty Work Revisited' DS: 'Naturally. So Pete, what's your take on this Brett Sody bloke?' DP: 'I say we leave him alone for a bit, see how the third pans out. DS: 'Good plan, Pete. He got a website?' DP: 'Yeah. www.brettsody.com'