Deadly, Unna?: Chapter 5 Summary & Analysis

The Point, the local aboriginal community, used to have their own successful football team, but the team ended after the spectators started too many fights. Now Arks travels out to the Point to recruit aboriginal players for the Port’s team. Though the Point and the Port are only a half hour from each other, the children of each town do not socialize outside of football. Even when the players from the two towns meet at the beginning of the season, they instinctively sit on opposite sides of the changing rooms.

Blacky thinks back to the beginning of the season. In the memory, he is sitting waiting for his friend Pickles. Mark Arks is confidently strolling around the changing room in his jockstrap. Someone sits down in Pickles’s spot. Blacky notices that this stranger has perfect teeth, an athletic build, and very nice “boots” (football shoes). Blacky asks the player what position he plays. The stranger says he doesn’t know because they do not have positions out on the Point. Blacky notices the stranger is wearing the jersey of a famous footballer. The stranger introduces himself as Dumby Red.

Arks instructs the players to run laps to warm up. Mark is usually the fastest runner on the team, but now Dumby outruns him. Blacky decides that Dumby is annoying. Arks tests Dumby’s shooting ability. Dumby proves that, in addition to his speed, he’s an incredible goal scorer. When Arks posts the team’s roaster, Mark’s name is first, Dumby’s name is second, and Blacky and his friends’ names are further down on the list.

After the first practice, Arks is cheerful, knowing his team will have many skilled players this year. As Arks drives the indigenous players back to the Point, Dumby yells goodbye to Blacky. Dazza and Pickles, Blacky’s friends, question Blacky about this and Blacky says he hates Dumby.

A couple of months into the season, the team is in another town playing a game. The opposing team has a player named Mad Dog who is an unskilled football player and who beats up other players during the game. Dumby scores many goals and the Port’s team wins the game.

After the game, Blacky and the other Port players are walking around the opposing team’s town. They pass by Dumby and Clemboy, another Point player, and Blacky tells his friends he still hates Dumby, even though he’s actually started to like Dumby. Blacky is beginning to think he was just jealous of Dumby; he realizes now that Dumby is a skilled player and a good teammate, even if he is vain. Blacky also appreciates that Dumby makes life interesting.

Blacky and his friends run into players from the opposing team, including Mad Dog. Pickles bickers with one of the players. Blacky grows bored and tries to walk away, but Mad Dog attacks him. Mad Dog holds Blacky in a headlock he can’t break free from. Blacky yells for help while Mad Dog spins him around and threatens to throw him into a nearby concrete pole. But just as Mad Dog is about to throw Blacky into the pole, he suddenly lets go. Blacky sees that Dumby has pulled Mad Dog into a headlock.

Dumby lets Mad Dog go. Mad Dog tells Dumby there’s no hard feelings and offers to shake hands. As Dumby goes to accept, Mad Dog punches him in the face. Mad Dog says he doesn’t shake hands with “boongs.” Dumby punches Mad Dog and breaks his nose. All the members of Blacky’s team walk away with Dumby. Blacky thanks Dumby and decides that now they will be friends. Blacky even uses slang from the Point, “Nukkin ya,” to say goodbye to Dumby.