Bob Davis (62/63) sent this report:
Mid March saw Col (Huggiebear) Huggins train south from Brisbane to Robina where he was rescued from exotic peddlers of dubious items in and around the railway station by the arrival of Bob (Moose) Davis.
They drove south and headed for the delights of northern NSW and the sleepy town of Ballina in particular, where they descended on Brian (Smoth) Smith. Brian these days leads a very relaxed, sedentary lifestyle in the place of his birth - (not too different from many of us (I suspect.)
Next stop was the Ballina RSL which is literally spitting distance from the broad expanse of the raging Richmond River -(well it seemed to be raging that day!) A few beers chased down a tasty luncheon and seemed to make the Richmond rage even more fiercely. Yarns and stories (all gospel,) about common acquaintances and places and events flowed thick and fast. We did agree on one thing and that was the need for some central means of collating up to date details of ex ASOPIANS and their exploits given that our numbers are only going to decline at an ever increasing rate. (I believe that Diane and Bill Bohlen have taken this on board.)
Few people would be aware that Col and Brian shared a SOQ in Finschhafen in 1964 - I am
still not able to work out who slept where!! Fortunately for both of them Brian was posted to Daru in mid year and this saved the pair too many domestic wrangles.
Brian's quiet existence in Ballina is punctuated by frequent visits from his two children,
(both in their early twenties or thereabouts and both living in or around Ballina.)
Brian's mother (now in her nineties and ex Lae) lives in South Tweed and he catches up with her frequently.
Back on the road northwards after lunch and overnight at Hausdavis in West Tweed. Colin declined a ride to Brisbane early the next morning, preferring to sleep in instead and train back to Brisbane at a more civilised hour.
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As H MacB would say good stuff, Moose!
ReplyDeleteAs for Robina Railway Station where I was 1 hour early for the pick-up!
I witnessed scenes that in the days of when we attended school, way back in the chapters
of time, were unheard of etc.
There were school kids, some in uniforms, some being truant of ages from 12 to maybe 16! The time was 9.00am – which is school time, I think? Of course, truant officers are a thing of the past – cannot trespass on the rights of the individual, even if the individual is supposed to be in class.
As I still “smoke” the wicked weed, I was approached by one of these truant kids, hat a la Lleyton Hewitt, and his skate board. If the kid was 14, I would be surprised. Thank God I was near the taxi stand. It went like this.
“Hi mate, can you get me a packet of fags?”
Whereupon a $20 bill was produced for such item!
I gave the kid a blast of what I thought, and was very mindful of the two burly taxi drivers watching this exchange if a knife was produced. I was told what to do with myself. Much too much for this blog!
Then the “crème de la crème”, three persons 18-20 years, wearing no shirts and having their shorts somehow “glued” to their hips without falling off appeared. They were young healthy looking individuals who were very capable of doing work, albeit physical as labourers etc ( no reflection on labourers) but no doubt on the “dole” and they came from across what is commonly referred to as “the ditch” – the Tasman Sea!
They approached the truant kids and then off they went where money could clearly be seen as being exchanged for “little parcels”! One of these kids peeled off heaps of money.
The Tasman Sea people were happy and left, no doubt to fill in their dole claims and the kids disappeared. Thankfully then the “Moose” appeared and rescued me. Seeing is believing!
Moral of the story: Never be one hour early at a railway station!
Now re: the situation at Dregerhafen in the one man “donga”. I was there first. I had the bed. The “Smoth” had a mattress on the floor and probably lived in dread of me getting up during the night to do “what nature after drinks” makes us do!
Bob “Moose” Davis has covered the other aspects of this visit. Anyone who knew, Brian “Smoth” Smith and is visiting the area should call in and see him. The Ballina RSL Club is great to go to, the scenery is magnificent and the food at the club is first class.
I wonder if Smoth ever knew my brother who was in Daru about then.
ReplyDeleteDiane