Background
Baptism does not save, neither does the Eucharist or communion or Church membership or large donations or Last Rites ...
Chapter 6 (Word)
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"We interrupt this programme to bring you an important announcement!" I felt like I needed to do that... I, like everyone I know and you know, always looked forward to the day I would have a license to drive a car. This was only out-done by the overwhelming desire to have my own vehicle.
However, the vehicle is not much good without the license huh! I was a late starter in many ways. Voice did not break till after 17. I was also not fortunate (or I WAS smart not to, maybe) enough at the age of 16 years and 9 months, as it was then, to get a Learners' Permit. I got mine at the age of 18 years and following this, I embarked on a quest to obtain my "P's." (Provisional License.) In the event, this "tome" becomes an "International Best Seller" I should explain that, in Australia, back in my younger days, your first twelve months of licensed driving was spent subjected to the restriction of your speed limited to 90 kph - 80mph then; unless it is indicated as less.) and displaying your "Red 'P' " plate front and back.
Similarly in the 21st Century but a lot more restrictions. I won't get into the horrific Compulsory Third Party Insurance slug under 30's in age, have to pay, today, to get on the road.
I began to learn to drive, mostly done with a driving school. I got my license after some more lessons with a second driving school. It was also at this time on September the 8th 1970, my eldest brother acquired for me, my very first car - a little "Triumph Herald Coupe" -1961 model. If you are a "Heartbeat" British TV show watcher you would have seen the Sedan version of the same car, quite frequently, owned by the policeman's heart-throb, the doctor.
I was very dependent on my (now deceased) brother Richard, to help me out with mechanical problems. After all, it was he who got me my first car. We spent many a weekend tuning up the little car and it wasn't long before I took delivery, from him, of the Triumph. It didn't look all that exciting but it was one of the easiest cars to drive. It also only cost me the princely sum of $AU160 including registration.
Eat your heart out, all you speed fiends. Actually, my foray into Triumph Herald coupes and sedans (at least three of them) only cost me around $AU400. One of the very few problems with the car was if you had a front-end collision with something or someone no matter how slight, there was a strong possibility of damaging the forward opening bonnet couplings beyond repair.
I didn't mind the 2-hour drive down to my brother's place at Bargo, 60 miles/100kms south of my home in Ryde, every now and then to do something else to the little car and before you say...
"how come it took so long?"'..., Don't forget we didn't have the Freeway or the Motorway (M7 as of about 5 years ago now)...back then. So it was a picturesque drive down the winding Hume Highway. Now, more than 40 years later - the New M7 saves another 20 minutes of Driving. Not so much fun these days, as sadly no reason to do the trips anymore.
I didn't do many trips of any great distance but I loved that little car. So easy to handle for a novice driver, too. However, the limit of distance for my first 3 cars, was actually about 60 miles or 100klms one way then after some maintenance, I could drive home the other 100klms, safely, thanks to my big brother's expertise.
In the first Triumph, (Pictured) the North Coast was appealing to me in those days because the church's Youth Group would go up to a place called "Lutanda", a youth camp in Toukley area. (Now known many years later as "Camp Toukley".)The area of my travels in my first car was bounded by Katoomba in the Blue Mountains (2 hours west of Sydney), Bargo in the South and Toukley on the North coast. This was because I couldn't be sure of getting back home, safely, if I ventured further out. Sigh!
During my time with the Southside *YFC (*Youth For Christ), we organised a walkathon between Rockdale and Gunnamatta Bay Park in Cronulla. Because I was already a bit of a chubby person and not fond of long walks - added to which I was the proud owner of my very first car dubbed "Colin Moore's Bomb*" with the number plate CMB 389, (my middle name is Colin)anyway, for all the aforesaid reasons, I became a mobile checkpoint for the walkathon. I think this was the only notoriety my little car gained in its relatively short stay with me.
I bought two more Triumphs after this. One of which cost me a negligent driving charge and a distinct possibility of being put in gaol. I bought it for $20 for parts, but, of course, at that price, you immediately realise it was unregistered and uninsured for personal injury.(CTP mentioned earlier). The policeman who pulled me up, having driven, very carefully two-thirds of the way home, threatened to put me in the clink if he caught me driving it again! I joined the other members of my family who have at various times fallen foul of the law for many and various reasons.
The $AU20 car looked similar to the grey and white sedan in the picture. That was a car being prepared for our mother. The sandstone blocks in that picture present an interesting, but eventually sad story. Richard would bring back a load of these blocks from South Australia when he had no backloading. The plan was to build a decent abode on their property, from the wonderful sandstone. This would replace the run-down shack they lived in for many years. It would have been good, had not his wife up and sold the property complete with these stored up sandstone blocks, during one of his times away, for work. Fortunately, he did have another store of these blocks, up at our Dad's Opal Settlement in Grawin, in the North West of our state. He did get to see a stone hut built up there later on. (We may get a picture of it, later).
So; after the nefarious activity of the utterly offensive and penalty producing nature, came another little Triumph. This time, of Ivory colour. This Triumph was famous for the lack of brake shoes. (Not Richard's fault...just slack maintenance on my part!) I had been using this car for a little time, during which I met Lorna.
We went out together for four months or so, and in those days, the fellow always paid for the night out. It probably would have been wiser to spend some of the money on new brake shoes. (No Disc Brakes back then!) In hindsight, I think one of her reasons, if asked, for giving me away would have been the numerous occasions when we could hear 'metal to metal', on the application of the brakes! Richard was unavailable at this time, being on his "Round Australia" Caravanning (Uncle Sam readers call them "Motor Homes" ) - tour! Or perhaps on the "Redex" Trial in the VW Bug. (Get you some photos later, perhaps.)
We already mentioned the (No 3.) $20 "spare parts" Triumph. Probably cost a lot more after I paid the Fine! Last, in my acquisitions of "Triumphs" well "Triumph Heralds" Came the "RED TERROR!"
