Background
Maybe, because I was a young musician, up and coming in the world; they might have considered me a threat to their livelihood (ha! ha!)
Chapter 5c (Word)
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In March 1969, I decided to fly out to Parkes in the West, on a Club 25* ticket on "East-West" Airlines. From there my father would pick me up and drive us both back to his pub he was leasing in Forbes. At some time prior to this, I had met Dad in the city when he was down for some reason. That was when he suggested I come out for a holiday in Forbes, ostensibly to also meet Maude.
This was to be my first meeting with my father's de facto, Iris or Maude as she was known. Dad had lived with her pretty well since he left us when I was 8 years old. I know his judgement was way off, and I don't know if she had a lot of money or something. Maude's sister Joyce and her husband lived with them as well.
Dad and Colin were partners in the pub. Dad was the working end and Colin was the handler of the money. I have mentioned before, my Mum always said dad was clever with his hands but hopeless in business. He lost money on just about anything he ever took on. I think Colin had his "hand in the till" as well.
I really liked Colin's wife, Joyce, also Maude's sister. She was the one that took me to a Housie* night at the local Ambulance Station. It was a fundraising event for the Station. Joyce could manage ten cards of her own and a couple of mine at the same time. Some of the old regulars got a bit upset that this young upstart from the city came in and relieved them of $10 for the night. I believe I was around 3 weeks shy of 18 yrs of age...technically an illegal participant at Housie that night.
It was a traumatic time when I got home to Mum, after the 2 or 3 week holiday with my father whom I had not been so 'up close and personal' with for the previous 8 years. Except for the time, we mentioned when he came and visited at home and subsequently supported my trip to Tasmania. Or the one or two times we had lunch together when I worked in the city. I just went into her arms and cried, as I felt like it had been such a change after all that time.
It was not all that long after the holiday, I began to look for work closer to home. I finally managed to get a clerical job, in July 1969 at York Air conditioning in Gladesville, much closer to our home than going into the city.
Author Notes
Picture Details:Top Left: A pic of an East West Airlines plane of the type I flew on in 1969. Top Right: We flew over the Warragamba dam in Western Sydney, the main water supply for all of Sydney back then;approximately 40 miles West. The Dam had only been operational for 9 years at the time of the photo. Apologies for quality of photo it is a converted slide to print.
Second Left: The old Post Office Pub taken at the time I was there in 1969. Second Right: Notice the modifications and updating of the same pub when Louise and I visited a year or two ago. Third left: The burned out Ambulance Station in Forbes taken same time as our recent visit. It was in full swing back in 1969. Arson is understood to be the reason for the destruction. Long story.
*Club 25 was a cheaper ticket for under 25 year olds, with the East West Airlines, back then.
*Housie is a lot like Bingo.
History of East West Airlines
Information on Warragamba Dam
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