“I recently came across a detailed map from the Surveyor Generals Office of 1881 indicating six toll bars across the eastern suburbs roads towards Botany,” reports Geoff Carey of Pagewood. “Five of the toll bars eerily match the Eastern Distributor, M5, M8, WestConnex and the Cross City Tunnel. The 6th remains unmatched, but you have been warned, Newtown.”
“It was very moving to hear that environmentally aware drug-runners used six reusable grocery bags in a major deal,” thinks Donald Hawes of Peel. “Oh, that regular supermarket shoppers would emulate this fine example.”
Tim Donovan of Huonville writes in response to Ray Witherby’s suggestion for some political buzzwords in preparation for the upcoming federal election (C8). “I suggest a song title, Won’t Get Fooled Again by The Who, which also contains the line ‘meet the new boss, same as the old boss.’” Among the other offerings, we have “worst-case tsunami” from John Swanton of Coogee, “Let Granny’s C8 voices, be a guideline for your choices” from Joy Cooksey of Harrington and “Renewables: if you don’t know, don’t glow,” from Les Shearman of Darlington.
And when absorbing political jargon, Susan Bradley of Eltham (Vic) has provided this handy guide. “Let me be frank” means “I am going to lie through my teeth.” “In all honesty” means “I am going to lie through my teeth.” “Truth be told” means “I am going to lie through my teeth.”
Now this, is a landline: “I am luckier than Pauline McGinley (C8) because way back in the 1980s, I managed to score a Telecom red phone, complete with its yellow metal stand, and it is built to last,” claims Andrew Brown of Bowling Alley Point. “We only plug it in during blackouts when it will often still work if the exchange has power. The thing is, even at 60 years old, every time I use it, I am transported back to my teenage years, and I am ringing mum to pick me up from the train station.”
“As a female friend of the so-called Gorgeous George Manojlovic from Mangerton (C8) of at least 20 years standing, I can assure Don Bain that George is still gorgeous,” claims Angela Davies of Phillip (ACT). “He may these days be a little frayed around the edges, as indeed I am, but he and I still share a love of words and red wine, and he remains a ‘good sort’”
Column8@smh.com.au
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