“On Tuesday 11 November 1975, my father Jock Fraser was involved in a collision on Victoria Road Ryde, with a car with the registration prefix GOF,” reports Roberta Madsen of Gymea Bay. “This was reported on The Back Page of the Sun Herald on Sunday 16th November 1975: ‘On the Tuesday of the political upheaval, David Watt, temporary lecturer in drama at Macquarie University was driving his car, registration prefix GOF when it was involved in a crash of another car, driven by a man named Fraser’.”

“I read that on the day of the dismissal, Whitlam ate steak and a horiatiki side salad,” says Chris Commens of Rosebery. “My mum was the chef at The Lodge and would have cooked that. All she said about the day was that it was a very long one in the kitchen preparing food for the comings and goings.”

“Having noticed an ad for an iconic brand of slides, I see that the non-leather option is now vegan leather,” writes Scott Illingworth of Kiama. “I didn’t know it was a thing now, that when shoes wear out we have to eat them.”

When the doppelgänger yarns landed on Paul Hunt of Engadine’s (C8) Kevin Rudd confluence, we were concerned when Paul didn’t offer up his take, to the extent that his old friend Dennis Fardy of Warriewood enquired, “You ok, mate?” Worry not, Dennis, here he is: “When the election result became confirmed in Western Australia (three hours after ‘back east’). I entered a Perth hotel and was greeted by a roar of applause and kisses and hugs from the young women. They, too, had been to a wedding. I signed autographs on various body parts but refused to sign delicate sections – true. What added to the credibility of our caper was that I was accompanied by a guest from our wedding whose previous job was a security guard. He played his part so well.”

Society’s got your cards marked, Peter Miniutti of Ashbury: “You know you must be getting old when you are only just over the age for senior discounts and never get asked for ID.”

“Judy Maclean (C8) appears to be too young, but I’m too old,” laments Ron Vernon of Thornleigh. “Ticketek informed me that my birthday was invalid, as my birth year (1935) was impossibly too long ago. So I evidently cannot exist, which surprises me somewhat.”

Column8@smh.com.au

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