Posted in 138 Station St, Nepean High School, tagged Barkly Highway, Roadhouse, Stuart Highway, teenage drinking, Three Ways on August 31, 2012| 2 Comments »
Stephen on the Barkly Hwy crossing into NT
The Barkly Highway
Ends when it meets the Stuart Highway
At Three Ways.
Our camp site.
The roadhouse
Accommodates our thirst.
Age seems no concern.
It’s late, dark, we stagger
The short distance to camp.
Something trips us,
Fall, roll, rumble, giggle.
Next morning, complaint –
Drunken teenagers jumping on sleepers.
The Barkly Hwy: Cloncurry (A), Mt Isa (B), Camooweal(C), Three Ways(D)
Posted in 138 Station St, Nepean High School, tagged cards, gambling, geography excursion, Nepean High School, outback Australia, pontoon on August 30, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Bus rumbles along
Through hours of red dusty landscape.
One diversion, cards,
More engaging when
Playing for money.
Mr Ellem joins in.*
Pontoon, for cash.
Coins on a makeshift table
In the aisle of a bumpy bus
We play for hours.
Mr Ellem loses heavily
Schoolkids win,
My winnings … big – about $9.
Note:
* I am pretty sure this game took place along the Stuart Highway as we headed towards Alice Springs. The map below gives you a rough idea of our itinerary.
A, N=Penrith; B=Mt Isa; C= Camooweal; D=Three Ways; E=Katherine; F=Darwin; G=Alice Springs; H=Uluru (then known as Ayers Rock); I=Coober Pedy; J=Port Augusta; K=Adelaide; L=Mildura; M=Canberra
Posted in 138 Station St, Nepean High School, tagged House of the Rsing Sun, strumming & drumming on August 29, 2012| Leave a Comment »
There’s two buses
One exclusively older folk
The other, older folk prepared
To accommodate youngsters.
Back seats secured,
The bus rolls off,
Guitar comes out
Simple strumming, some picking
Makeshift surfaces for multiple percussionists.
Repertoire limited.
I wonder how many times
House of the Rising Sun*
Will be belted out.
Posted in 138 Station St, Nepean High School, tagged geography, Nepean High School, outback Australia, school excursion on August 28, 2012| Leave a Comment »
A long school excursion,
Travelling for a few weeks
Outback.
Transport: buses
Accommodation: camping
Travellers: interesting mix – oil & water.
Male teenagers & retirees.*
Teenagers guard(ian): Geography teacher.**
Steve & I are in.
Itinerary:
Outback NSW & Queensland,
Darwin, Red Centre,
Simpson Desert,
Salt Lakes,
Simpson Gulf,
Adelaide,
Barossa Valley,
NW Victoria
ACT.
Home.
Notes:
* Below is a (poor quality) picture of the traveling troupe. I am in the front row fourth from the left. Stephen is immediately to the right of me. Some others I think I can identify are:
John “Trapper” Trevena – front row on the left of me.
Craig Bale – front row, immediately to the right of the lady with pink cardigan
Michael Bale (Craig’s cousin) – on the right of Craig.
John Welch – the tall guy right at the back, in a direct line back from Michael Bale.
The bloke waving his hand is (I think) Arpad Rapsak
** I am pretty sure the teacher was Mr Ellem.
*** In Short Memory #18 I recalled an event happening at aged 16. Only a few days later some of my alumni (Garry, Ruth, & Jenny) suggested that the event happened at least a year earlier. Recalling this excursion and it’s timing (3rd form – or year 9) pretty much confirms their opinion.
The Touring Party for a NHS Geography Excursion circa 1970
Posted in 138 Station St, Nepean High School, tagged first girlfriend, innocence, teenage romance on August 27, 2012| Leave a Comment »
In a younger class
Our paths only cross
In school corridors.
Enough to connect.
First steps into the boy/girlfriend terrain,
A romantic “novitiate”.
Protected.
By youth & naivete.
Enamoured through simple, innocent discoveries
Beaming smile, mischievous eyes, slight accent,
Entrancing, enlivening.
A precious time of light-hearted joy.
Note:
I debated myself about identifying individuals appearing in my Short Memories. In most cases I will but in Memories of this nature I thought it best to preserve anonymity unless I get the all clear from the unnamed.
By the way, anyone who wants to remind me of things, or add to, embellish, or correct these Memories … please feel free to contact me or add a comment.
Posted in 138 Station St, Nepean High School, tagged Remote record-player, Speakers A & B, teasing brothers on August 26, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Located in my room:
“Speakers B”
Piping music from hi-fi in the lounge room
Where “Speakers A” deliver sound.
Vinyl LP’s* played remotely
Temptation for needling brothers
Lowering volume,
Powering off,
Needle-bumping,
Switching to radio.
Hiding, giggling as I rush in.
Payback: “Speakers A” on
For late night tracks – LOUD!
Note:
* LP’s are Long Play vinyl discs, generally hold between 20 and 30 mins of music on each side.
Posted in 138 Station St, Nepean High School, tagged backroom music, vinyl records on August 25, 2012| 2 Comments »
Moving into my teenage retreat
Now carpeted, furnished
Bed, desk, wardrobe, books,
And records.
Speakers hooked up
To living room stereo.
Place the needle on the vinyl
Rush to hear it’s start,
Through rooms –
Lounge,dining, verandah, back door, garage,
“Home”.
Side 1 finishes, rush back in, repeat.
Loving it … for now!!
Posted in 10 Reserve St, 138 Station St, tagged family home, family lodgings, own room, teenage haven, workshop on August 24, 2012| 3 Comments »
The garage workshop.
A big room annexed
To its southern side,
Running almost its length.
We aren’t a family of DIY’s
(except for Stephen’s tinkerings
and Poppy, when he visits).
With temporary lodgers (1 adult, 3 kids)
Soon moving in,
Decision easier.
Hurrah!
Teenage boy haven,
Heaven.
My own “flat”.
Posted in 138 Station St, Nepean High School, tagged Ian Stevenson, Pink Floyd, poetry, poetry recital, Randwick Racecourse on August 22, 2012| 1 Comment »
We have great grandstand seats
For the Randwick Racecourse concert of
Pink Floyd*!
There’s problems with
The staging, the sound,
Wind creating havoc.
Crowd restless.
Then …
Poetry shouted
From above.
Looking up
Hanging from the rafters:
His recitation gets cut short.
His mark is made – Penrith Poet.
Note:
* The concert was held on August 15, 1971 and surely will soon be the subject of its own Short Memory. Today the memory has Ian Stevenson is top of mind. This memory appears now partially due to yesterday’s post and partially due to fellow NHS alumnus, Garry Cockle observing: “Yeh. Scab! Cool dude, he could feature in a few “short memories”.
With that, I thought I had to immediately post my favourite “scab” story.
I’d love to hear your favourite Ian “scab” Stevenson memory. If you have one, share it by putting it in as a comment.
365 Short Memories 