Towards the end of 1986 the Thomsens still hadn't gone buffalo catching and Paul had various jobs picking fruit and working with crocodiles. Peterboy was still going to school but took Paul to Katherine to work for Bruce. Peter and Brett had worked for Bruce previously in their school holidays. They knew him through church.
Paul asked Bruce if he could have a job labouring with him and Bruce asked "can you stand on in the sun all day?". Paul replied that he was sure he could so Bruce said he'd give him a go. Pauls first job was shovelling dirt at a new road crossing for a week which nearly killed him with blisters!
Paul and Peter worked at Tindal for a couple of months until Peter went back home to go to school at Taminmin High. At the time Brett was working with them on excavators and other machinery (Peter and Paul naturally always complained Brett had it easy whilst they sweated in the trenches!).
Paul and Peter moved in with Paul's mum and dad on Riverbank Drive until his parents went back to Darwin in around April the following year (although Peter left earlier to go back to school in Darwin).
Paul then moved in with Brett in a caravan at the back of Bruce and Jeannie's house.
