46. Ready, aim, fire … ouch!!

The Weapon - Y-shaped junction, elastic, leather.

Branches forming “just-right” junction.

“Just-right” = the perfect Y-shape.

Add strong elastic, a leather patch, carpenter’s staples, inexperience.

The Ammo - Big Staple, two sharp points.

Five elements united – danger!

Load, stretch, release.

With speed and force

Into hand.

Aaaaaggghhh!

Pulling the staple, blood flows.

Two holes behind the Y formed by index & thumb.

No sympathy, stupidity berated.

Scars  last.

Load, stretch, aim, release - my view - the apple survives.

Note:

The artwork of the slingshot is by Veronika Nagy. Her blog is The Art Blog.

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29. Scared, calmed, comforted – blessed.*

Nail pierces foot.

Hobble home, bathwater blood red – impression of litres lost.

Scared.

Roger:  “Stitches”.

Nepean Hospital.

Waiting … my head in his lap. Calming.

Feigning sleep …

They won’t wake me to hurt me?

Finally diagnosis:

“That part of the foot can’t be stitched!!”

Heading home, nestled in Roger’s arms – Comforted.

Note:

This is a continuation of yesterdays entry Imaginery bullets, makeshift arrows – real rusted nails. Hopefully the 2 of them can be viewed as self-contained tales of 50 words that complement each other. If not, then perhaps this is my first “fudge”.

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28. Imaginery bullets, makeshift arrows – real rusted nails.

Ouch!

At No. 4.

Uncleared vacant lot, augmented with junk – recycled into forts and trenches for war.

Timber, tin sheets, wheel rims, piping, tyres.

War begins.

Run. Head for cover. Dodge imaginary bullets or makeshift arrows … AND spikes & splinters, nails & edges.

Fake left, step right. Right onto nail – through shoe.

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25. An Obstacle in the Bullring.

Bullfights!

Bull vs Matador.

Matador Gary (2 Guildford Rd) flicks his cape (a towel).

The bull (me) charges.

Amusement, diversion. Not under Mum’s feet.

Great!

Until the blind bull doesn’t see the cape conceals clothes-hoist winder-casing.

Clothes hoist

Metals encased winder - solid.

Bull charges, head hits. Blood everywhere.

No cracks in the skull. (The Fates again?)

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14. Tandem Billycarters – Ambushed.

The tandem – little Ronnie steering, shirtless Stephen anchoring.

Front yard at the Percy’s – Philip ‘n’ me.

Billycarters pass – cheering, screaming, laughing.

Spinning - slo-mo - through thick summer air

Egg flies.

Spins through humid summer air.

Slooow motion

Parabola meets straight-line,

Egg-path, cart-path intersect.

Direct Hit!

Egg shatters. Eggshell cuts bare back.

Fun but …

It wasn’t meant to hurt.

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13. Training for … The Kingswood Olympic Bobsled Team

Guildford Rd hill – great for billycarts.

Driver feet on front axle, rope reins in hand  – set.

Anchorman pushes, speed builds, jumps in – tandem billycart ride.

Wood splinters, wheels wobble, rope burns - a sturdy & safe ride.

Hurtling, bouncing.

Speed breakneck over rough surface.

Home-made.

Rough, rickety almost uncontrollable.

Wheels buckle, wood splits.

Splinters pierce young skin.

Gravel scrapes it.

Metho stings.

Note.

The billycart pictured is a model that was shown at The Powerhouse Museum. It looks exactly as we built our models – except ours invariably had a “cabin” that could hold at least two.

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