Another recycled one

[r.magnay]

‘SYDNEY’

© Ross Magnay 18/6/06

“I’d like a seat right up the back I’m not like all them dills,
I never heard of one of these things, backin’ into hills!”
“Oh you’ll be right” the hostess said, “We’ve never lost one yet”
“But every time you fly one that gets closer don’t forget”

“I hope this ain’t the same machine that Billy Hayes broke in,
I’m not even half the rider, Billy Hayes has bin!”
“Now sir I think you’ve been misled, that flight was not the norm
Mr Hayes was just unlucky that we struck a thunderstorm.”

“Them thunderstorms are pretty rare, I ‘spose it should be right,
but just the same I’ll keep this bloody girth strap pulled up tight.”
The plane climbed up and levelled out, the flight was smooth as silk,
and then I said “Yeah just black tea, two sugars and no milk.”

Two hours further down the track a crackle overhead,
“We’re about to start descending into Sydney” so it said.
And when we busted through the clouds you coulda knocked me down,
no trees just roads and bloody houses scattered all aroun’

So then they let us off the plane; like cattle off a crate,
and marched us down that flamin’ chute and shoved us through the gate.
So there we was in Sydney town and what a bloody sight,
funny looking people rushing left and rushing right.

All draggin’ funny lookin’ things with wheels and handles on,
and some with funny lookin’ hats, backwards on their scone.
Some with shrapnel in their nose, and ears and eyes and face,
I swear they look to me as if they come from outer space!

There’s blokes in suits with little things shoved up against their ears,
two blokes holdin’ bloody hands, someone said they’re queers.
And no one ever says g’day, they just keep rushing past,
this is my first time in this place and I reckon too, the last!

And then I steps outside the door there’s people everywhere,
people pushin’, rushin’, shovin’ they don’t seem to care,
about whose turn it really is, as long as they are next,
and poking at them little things, I heard them say it’s text?

About face me and back inside, I need another plane,
I’m scared it could be catchin’, all this bein’ quite insane!
“Just get me back to Alice far away from all this push,
so I can save my sanity out in the Aussie bush.”

[Heather]

I enjoyed that Ross. Any large city would seem a strange place after living in a country town. The thing I like most about where I am at the moment is that everyone is so friendly and strangers smile at you (well at me anyway!) and conversations start very easily. On the other hand, a friend of mine moved from my home town to a Melbourne suburb and after 12mths we went to visit and I asked what the neighbours were like and was astounded to hear she hadn't met them!

[r.magnay]

G'day Matt, thanks mate, and yes I think you are right. Since moving here to Lincoln the town has half the population, work is harder to find and even though the town takes in a reasonably substantial population from the surrounding districts, it still has a much more small country town feel than Alice did....I spent most of my time in the bush though.
We had a pretty laid back Christmas, Father came and stayed with us for a couple of nights and the day, there were a few tears but he has come pretty much to terms with the missing chair.
Thanks for your thoughts mate...hope yours was a good one as well.

Thanks Heather, yes, Alice was by far the biggest place I have ever lived and although we knew the neighbors all around us, it was harder to get to know anyone in the town that we had no repeat contact with, I put a lot of it down to the continual flow of people coming and going, it has a very high turnover of people up there.

[Neville Briggs]

Where's your sense of adventure Ross

[Catherine Lee]

Very enjoyable poem Ross. Although I only went to Alice once for a weekend away from Darwin, I certainly remember the friendly atmosphere.

[Bob Pacey]

Sooo true Ross I used to travel to Brisbane once a month for committee meetings and found it such an unfriendly place.



You needed to come to Yeppoon Catherine to see friendly


Bob

[Heather]

One wink is friendly Bob; five is creepy!

[Catherine Lee]

I've only been to Yeppoon once Bob, but remember it most for one of the most spectacular sunrises I've ever seen! Hope to get there again some day.

[Bob Pacey]

Oh def a five winker H