Posted in 138 Station St, Nepean High School, tagged Joan Baez, Mosman, Paul Kenny, summer work, University on December 29, 2012| 1 Comment »
J stays with Paul K
For summer work in the city
Transitioning school to university.
They share a Mosman top floor.
Windows surround spacious room
Where we lazily lounge
Harbour breeze blows through,
Fresh chilled watermelon,
Voice of Baez, pure crystal chimes.
Combination perfect (if transient).
While, out west …
Summer winds burn.
Posted in 138 Station St, Nepean High School, tagged accident., water-skiing on December 27, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Skis strapped, boat pulls Paul*
He glides the water, two circuits, home.
Speeding towards “home beach”,
Sudden turn whips skier’s speed,
To reach shore unpowered.
Is he going too fast?
Shore looms.
Drop! Paul! Fall!
No.
Hits beach – speeding.
Skis stop.
Paul continues – momentarily upright, running,
Finally tumbling into campfire.
Ouch!
Note:
* Paul Smith again – previously makeshift surgeon and advisor on the medicinal properties of plants. This was on the family holiday at the Gold Coast … the journey their is told in Short Memories #307 – #311.
Posted in 138 Station St, Nepean High School, tagged entertainment, haunted house, ouija board, spirits on December 23, 2012| 2 Comments »
The old Stafford Street house.
Victorian architecture.
Decades uninhabited, untended.
Appearance supports haunted reputation
Perfect for late night entertainment.
Ouija Board underarm, we enter.
Living (“living dead?”) room.
Circle forms,
Fingertips lightly touch planchette.
Incantation (from someone).
A rattle, pointer moves, … everything moves.
Enough!
We run, whipping up fear & laughter.
Posted in 138 Station St, Nepean High School on December 10, 2012| 1 Comment »
In Kingswood, a random walk
Strolling along the fence-side of someone’s home
A double-take at flowers
Hanging droopily over the fence.
Something I’d heard about,
And Paul S. identifies.
Angel’s Trumpet
Datura.
We pick flowers & taste nature’s way.
A mild effect.
Our posy, low in potency.*
Angels protecting us … once again!
Note:
* Apparently the toxicity of the Angel’s Trumpet varies dramatically according to a number of factors. It has been known to kill, and certainly cause severe illness. Selection & preparation requires the experience of a medicine man.
Posted in 138 Station St, Nepean High School, tagged Hot Tuna, philosophy, the blues on November 10, 2012| Leave a Comment »
At home, late, after earlier partying
Wanting to extend
At lower volume, lower energy.
Lounge in black leather, swivel chairs
Vodka & orange refreshing.
Acoustic music, volume down.
In tones echoing wisdom,
The soft voices of sages,
Ruminate on reality, relativity,
And the beauty, truth, love & misery
Of acoustic blues.
Extra:
Posted in 138 Station St, Nepean High School, tagged communication, experimentation, parental worries on November 9, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Worrying witnesses of
“Tell-tale signs”
Girlfriend’s parents
Intercept revealing correspondence.
Whisked away to Hervey Bay
By swooping mother.
Facing parental guilt & inquisition.
Where did we go wrong? Why?
Avoiding frivolous reasoning
I, falsely, invoke emptiness,
Instead of experimental fun & indulgence,
As driver of our chemical diversions.
False.
Prophetic?
Posted in 138 Station St, Nepean High School, tagged Ballina, Bangalow, country kindness on November 8, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Trudging along in northern heat
Amidst beautiful landscape, lush & green,
We are scorched
Our throats are parched,
Cars are sparse.
A verdant Sahara.
Between Ballina & Bangalow – fertile grounds, cars sparse, throats parched.
Farmhouse beckons, mirage-like.
Roadside abandoned, homestead approached
Reticent – redneck experience unnerving.
Please, can we get some water.
Country kindness (and icy cold juice)
Slakes our thirst.
Posted in 138 Station St, Nepean High School, tagged Deliverance, drink driving, Hitchhiking, holiday on November 7, 2012| 1 Comment »
Almost a jam.
Car veers sharply
Suddenly brakes.
Our lift?
We jump in.
Wheels spin, back into traffic.
Shirtless driver speaks – drawls
Between swigs
Flagon between thighs.
Offered, declined.
Turns right – sideroad east.
Uh Oh!
“Deliverance”
Stunned, fearful silence lasts 500m.
Shout: “Wrong way!”
“Sorry boys, clean forgot about yas.”
Posted in 138 Station St, Nepean High School, tagged Evans Head, fastidiousness, Hitchhiking, pyjamas, roadside nap, Woodburn on November 6, 2012| 1 Comment »
At Evans Head turn-off.
Last sunrays fire the sky.
Our thumbs out & hopes up.
… momentarily.
Start a roadside campfire
For light & warmth.
On the banks of the Richmond River at Woodburn, we set up “camp”.
Greg opens his bag,
Pyjamas!! – crispy freshly pressed & folded.
Toothbrush, toothpaste.
Methodically, meticulously, prepares for bed.*
…
Speechless (and pyjama-less),
I keep trying for a lift.
Note:
* While this came as a surprise at the time, it should not have – Greg Totman is one of the nicest blokes you could meet, and one of the most fastidious. Well, I have not seen him in decades, so he may not be either of those now – but I suspect he retains both these qualities.
Posted in 138 Station St, Nepean High School, tagged Desparate, Grafton, Hitchhiking on November 5, 2012| 1 Comment »
Late afternoon, shadows extend
Day darkening quickly.
Greg and I on roadside
Finger calmly points our destination &
Pleads for a ride.
Frustration & imminent night
Suspends sense. Raises suspense.
Roadside “hikers’ point” morphs into
Road centre distressed desparate’s dance.
Flailing arms, jumping & shouting.
(ROTFLMAO)**
Crazy long-hairs – who’ll stop??
Then … someone did!!
Note
* This Short Memory is connected to yesterdays … up until this moment, our journey had been uneventful.
** Modern Txt Language, unavailable back in the day, is great for a 50 word limitation.
365 Short Memories 