Yesteryear Revisited

Paul McCartney has been named as the most successful composer of all time. Forty-three of his songs have each sold more than a million copies. He has had his name associated with sixty golden discs: those that have each sold a million copies. Paul has also been identified as the world’s most successful recording artist, having been a vocalist on an estimated one hundred million albums, as well as a further one hundred million singles.

This evening, I listened to the radio station, 2GB, and the programme, ‘1967 Gold’. Its presenter, Sam Galea, played hits from that year. These included ‘The Reflections Of Charles Brown’ by Rupert’s People, The Bee Gees’ ‘To Love Somebody’ and Jackie Wilson’s ‘Higher And Higher’. Sam said that Jackie had suffered a stroke some five years ago and that this had resulted in him now being a semi-invalid.

At half past seven, we watched another edition of the British comedy, ‘Mind Your Language’, on Channel 7. Actor, Barry Evans, is cast as a teacher whose job it is to teach English to a mixture of migrants from various countries.

This comedy was followed by another, at eight, in the form of the British offering, ‘The Dick Emery Show’.

The film, ‘Nevada Smith’, a western from the year of 1966, followed. Its cast includes Steve McQueen, Karl Malden, Suzanne Pleshette, Arthur Kennedy, Martin Landau and Brian Keith.

Martin Landau appeared alongside his wife, Barbara Bain, in the cast of the televised series, ‘Mission: Impossible’, which was in production from 1966 until 1973.

I opted for bed at half past ten, having left Tiki to see it to its conclusion at 11.15.

I drove home from work by 4.00 p.m., having recorded the results of the trifectas on both the Underwood Stakes and the Marlboro Cup that were run at the racecourse in Caulfield, a suburb of Melbourne, this afternoon.

‘Valley Of Georgia’ had won the former race, having started at the odds of 9/1 whereas a rank outsider, ‘Private Walk’ (66/1), had won the latter while the 13/8 favourite, ‘Manikato’, had failed to finish in the first three placings.

Having entered our backyard, I threw the ball for our Alsatian, whom I like to call “Zedbeat”, to retrieve. All of the while she was being pursued by our young pup, ‘Daisy’, who insisted upon grabbing at her neck and tail. It marked the first time that I had really been angry at her. I also brushed and combed the adult dog’s coat that she had carried throughout winter. This she really enjoyed!

Tiki arrived home, shortly prior to six o’clock. Her mother had taken her into the city in her sedan, a ‘Rover’. The pair had enjoyed a smorgasbord for lunch at the Australia Tavern in the M.L.C. building. They had then adjourned to see the film, The Prophecy, at the Paramount, in George Street.

Channel TEN’s ‘Eyewitness News’ began at six o’clock and, at half past the hour, I chose to listen to the radio and 2GB’s Sam Galea’s programme, ‘1956 Gold’. It featured such recordings as “Tennessee” Ernie Ford’s ‘The Ballad Of Davey Crockett’. Sam said that “Tennesee” died in 1974.

Tiki and I discussed the bleak state of our finances, at the table in our kitchen. We estimated our foreseen expenditure for the next six months. She even talked of selling the drop earrings that I had bought for her to commemorate her twenty-first birthday. However, I am hopeful that such a scenario will not be the case.

As if such a prospect was not deflating enough, we decided to watch Channel TEN’s English film, ‘The Offence’, that was produced in 1973. It has Sean Connery cast as a sergeant in the police force. He takes it upon himself to bash a suspect, whom he believes to be a child molester, to death. Trevor Howard also has a major role.

I retired to bed at ten o’clock. Tiki decided to turn off the television, prior to the film’s conclusion, and follow me to bed.

The trifecta on the Marlboro Cup, as paid out by the Victorian T.A.B., set an Australian record. The single holder of the ticket is eligible to receive $113,000, should he or she not have already claimed it!

We awoke to a dull, overcast and windy day. At 9.00a.m., I learned of the scratchings from 2KY’s programme, ‘Turf Time’, that is co-presented by Max Presnell and Ian Craig.

Tiki drove to Rockdale, with us having departed from home at ten o’clock. Having parked in George Street, beyond the suburb’s town hall, we bought the tickets at the railway station. Their purchase would allow us to be conveyed to Sydney’s inner line, which is known as the City Circle.

Alighting at Wynyard, we employed the use of our umbrellas until we had reached the G.P.O., in Martin Place. We entered the cafe, ‘Courtyard’, which is located on the ground floor of the building that is owned by the company, ‘M.L.C.’ We ordered two hot chocolates, at a cost of seventy cents each. Upon our emergence, to our surprise, the sky had cleared!

We walked down and into the new railway station, Martin Place, for the first time. It impressed us, with its maroon walls and light blue seats really complementing each other!

Upon our return to the level of the street, we walked down Phillip and past the Wentworth Hotel to arrive at the Opera House. Continuing on we passed Circular Quay, as we headed for the Argyle Tavern and at approximately one o’clock we entered to partake of its smorgasbord at a cost to each of us of four dollars and forty-five cents.

Tiki’s initial serving consisted of her choice of lamb, fish and curry with potato. I was so impressed by her selection and, therefore, asked the chef for a repetition. The chap who followed us in the queue exclaimed, “That looks good! I’ll have the same!”

We located secluded seats that were affixed to the floor upstairs, in the restaurant’s rear section and having devoured our meal we returned for our respective second helpings, having shown our receipt to be entitled to them. This time we opted for cold meat, salad and a bread roll.

Tiki paid fifty cents each for a bread and butter plate filled with a square slice of a cherry dessert that was smothered in custard and fruit salad, and fifty cents each for a cup of coffee with cream.

Pressing on, we entered the Botanical Gardens near to the Conservatorium Of Music prior to entering the tropical glass pyramid. However, within ten minutes we beat a hasty retreat when Tiki omitted a real stinker.

I had Tiki in stitches, as I chose to remain in the same vein as that of the botanical names on display inside the pyramid thereby referring to her ‘effort ‘ as “Smellus Fartus”.

We followed the path through the palms and onward to the new, impressive ‘Cacti’ section which is still under construction and not yet open to the public although we did take the time to wander through it.

Although the sunshine was pleasant, the wind blew strongly and the waters of Farm Cove appeared to be terribly choppy. Nearing Lady Macquarie’s Chair, via the footpath along the foreshore, we had to retrace our steps, firstly into the strong wind that carried sand, grit and leaves. Having rounded the point, we were then on the lee side and facing Garden Island. It was there that we became excited at the sight of an eight-to-ten week old Alsatian pup with its ears already erect.

Our attention was soon attracted to the crowds of people on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier, ‘H.M.A.S. Melbourne’, moored at Garden Island as a naval helicopter of an old appearance warmed up on the southern end of its deck. We sat on a rock and waited for some five minutes before it took flight. It travelled straight over our heads prior to it disgorging frogmen from a height of about ten metres, at intervals, into the harbour. The pilot waved to the crowd that stood on the peninsula of rock above us and we laughed at the member of its crew who sat at the doorway as he dangled his feet over its edge and, as if to music, clapped his feet together.

We witnessed the pilot ultra-cautiously return his machine to the carrier’s deck prior to us setting out to walk past the swimming pool – named in honour of Andrew ‘Boy’ Charlton – which, quite understandably, housed few swimmers and sunbathers.

A tall, lean and gangly gent of perhaps twenty-five or thirty years roller-bladed past us, as we made our way to the Mitchell Library. His knees were well padded with protective guards. However, it was his stature that amused us more as we envisaged him to be more like a two-legged giraffe. Perhaps, all of the walking was starting to take a toll on our minds?

We reached Saint Mary’s Cathedral prior to us crossing Collins Street and entering Hyde Park. There, the Archibald Fountain was flowing in all of its glory, glistening on a day when the temperature reached twenty-four degrees Celsius, which is four degrees above the seasonal average.

We were looking for a place from which to purchase a cold orange juice each when Tiki suddenly espied her parents, of all people, as they were in the process of walking away from the fountain. We sneaked up behind them and I exclaimed, in my sternest voice, “All right! You’re both under arrest for loitering in the park!”

I had “Mum” believe, just for a moment, that a policeman was, in fact, addressing them.

They were as surprised to see us, as we them!

The four of us adjourned to a cafe in Centrepoint, which we found to be hot and somewhat claustrophobic. Tiki and I opted to have an orange juice each while an iced coffee sufficed ‘Mum’ and ‘Dad’. It was his shout.

The pair had lunched at the relatively new ‘Jasmine Court’, a Chinese restaurant in Blakehurst and were en route to the State Theatre in Market Street where they were to view James Brolin and Margot Kidder in the screening of ‘The Amityville Horror’.

We entered on to Pitt Street and ventured into the old Strand Arcade that had been restored so beautifully, a few years ago, after the fire that gutted it had almost resulted in such a restoration being abandoned.

The four of us entered George Street and walked to its intersection with Market Street, where we parted, but not before ‘Dad’ and I had discussed the recently begun restoration of the building that is the Queen Victoria. It possesses ten copper domes on either side of its roof, as well as a huge one in the middle.

Tiki and I boarded the train at twenty-five to five that was to return us from Town Hall to Rockdale. Tiki’s feet were so sore, that this prompted her to sit on a seat located beside the Princes Highway, while I walked up to George Street to retrieve our car. It was twenty past five when I collected her. The races were replayed on the radio as we travelled home.

The jockey, Malcolm ‘Miracle Mal’ Johnston, had not only ridden ‘Kingston Town’ (7/4), the winner of the $100,500 Spring Champion Stakes, but also ‘Imposing’ (11/2), which was also first past the post in the $100,500 Epsom Handicap. Each victory earned Malcolm the sum of $6,800 ( 10% of the first prize).

The news on Channel 7, at six o’clock, was followed, at half past the hour, by Channel 9’s ‘Ask The Leyland Brothers’. The programme includes the coverage of a ride on Telecom’s sky lift. The journey, of some twenty minutes, covers a distance of five and a half kilometres and the structure, itself, is located on Queensland’s second-tallest mountain, Bellenden Kerr. Unfortunately, it is not open to the general public!

We observed a programme of Channel 7’s forensic medical series, ‘Quincy MD’, with Jack Klugman cast in its principal role. During its viewing we imbibed in a bottle of ‘Mateus’ rose, which had cost us three dollars and twenty-nine cents.

Unsurprisingly, Tiki fell sound asleep on the lounge!

Tiki’s left arm and shoulder were no longer causing her discomfort and allowed her to sleep quite well last night. However, this situation had changed by the time I arrived at her place of work this afternoon and she asked for permission to leave early.

I drove her to the building which bears the name of ‘Wyoming’, in order that she could collect her X-rays. She cheekily opened the large envelope, in spite of the fact that it was addressed to her doctor, and read the report which states that the series of X-rays had not detected anything out of the ordinary.

Following an early tea we left for the doctor’s surgery only to discover that it is closed on Thursday afternoons. We walked for four miles around Barcoo Island, Captain Cook Island and the length of Belgrave Esplanade to the entrance to Murray Island, in the humid overcast conditions. Some of the houses at Sylvania Waters are impressive, but they are more often than not jammed together. There isn’t any room on the nature strips to walk as they are devoid of footpaths and possess a mixture of wiry and bushy plants. Additionally, the murky man-made canals emitted an odour that wasn’t pleasant.

It was seven o’clock by the time we returned to the ‘Galant’ and used its odometer to measure the distance of our walk. Upon our return home I wrote my diary at the dining table in the kitchen as Tiki watched “Space 1999”. The musical theme, which normally opens each edition of the series, has changed. At the conclusion of the second episode of “Cop Shop”, the humidity remained at an extremely oppressive level.

Having awoken at twenty past two to go to the toilet, I also partook of a glass that contained ‘Eno’ for my upset stomach. I remained up until five o’clock, as I read “The Sun” and viewed “The Magus”, a movie on Channel Nine, which stars Anthony Quinn, Michael Caine, Candice Bergen and Anna Karina. A thunderstorm passed above our house, but not before it had emitted one particularly loud clap of thunder.

Within scarcely an hour and a half, we were awoken by the alarm and arose to ready ourselves for work. The sky began to clear by mid-morning and, at lunchtime, the temperature was twenty-nine degrees Celsius.

After work, Tiki talked me into continuing on into town to see the latest film to feature the secret agent with a ‘licence to kill’, James Bond, namely “The Spy Who Loved Me”, which screened in Cinema 5 of the new Hoyts Cinema Centre. We purchased our tickets and crossed George Street to McDonald’s where I consumed two Fillet-o’-fish burgers, a chocolate shake and an orange juice while Tiki did likewise to a Fillet-o’-fish burger, a Cheeseburger and a vanilla shake.

“Free Skiing 1977” preceded intermission. It was filmed in New Zealand and includes scenes of skiers wending their way down Mount Ngauruhoe, an active volcano on the North Island. During intermission, we moved farther down towards the front of the cinema because a band of young children had moved in behind us. “The Spy Who Loved Me” stars Roger Moore, as ‘007’, and Barbara Bach.

I handed the stubs of our cinema tickets to the attendant at the parking station and he deducted fifty cents from our fee. This reduced it to two dollars and ten. It was thirty degrees, which equated to ten above the average, at nine o’clock as I drove through a plague of moths in Sussex Street and on through Newtown.

This afternoon, the left-hander, Tony Roche and John Alexander gave Australia a lead of two rubbers against Italy in winning their respective opening singles matches in this year’s final of the Davis Cup, which is being played on grass at Sydney’s White City.

Thankfully, conditions cooled overnight! “Mum” rang after breakfast to say that she’d meet us at the foot of the stairs that lead to The Fair Restaurant. Tiki left at nine to walk to Miranda Fair and buy my anniversary/Christmas present, as well as Christmas presents for others. Meanwhile, I listened to 2KY’s “Turf Talk”, which is presented by Ian Craig and Max Presnell, on this near perfect summer’s morning.

I left at a quarter past ten for Miranda Fair via the T.A.B. “Mum” had already arrived at the foot of the stairs and was intently window-shopping at the jewellers, Angus and Coote, when I patted her on the back and cheekily enquired, “Excuse me ‘Gorgeous’! What are you doing tonight?”

Tiki arrived shortly afterwards to be light-heartedly informed by her mother: “Your husband just tried to pick me up! I’d watch him if I were you!”

The three of us adjourned to ‘The Fair’ for a cappuccino each. Tiki paid for the bill of one dollar and sixty-five cents with her inclusion of about fifty-cents worth of copper coins, which she had painstakingly removed from her purse and stacked on the table.

Downstairs in Myer, I bought a C-60 Hitachi blank tape for one dollar and eighty-nine cents whilst “Mum” spent twenty dollars on purchasing us an ironing board for Christmas. The board is covered with an orange, yellow and white floral material. Patiently, I stood and held it while the two women went off in search of presents to give to others.

When we did, finally, reach “Mum’s” Rover sedan in the car park, the traffic was so continuous that we decided to sit and chat. However, after fifteen minutes the traffic still hadn’t eased and so we joined the queue, anyway. It was half past twelve when she left us at the front of our house with arrangements to meet her later.

Briton, Peter Skellern, sang his sizeable hit of 1972, “You’re A Lady”, and The Drifters: “Under The Boardwalk” and “Save The Last Dance For Me”, from 1964 and 1961 respectively, on the British pop series, “International Pop Proms”. At one, there was a replay of a part of yesterday’s second rubber in the final of this year’s Davis Cup, which is being contested at the White City Stadium in Sydney. John Alexander of Australia defeated Corrado Barazutti of Italy in four sets: 6-2, 8-6, 4-6, 6-2. Tony Roche had won the opening rubber against Adriano Panatta in straight sets: 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.

Upon Tiki’s suggestion and also at one o’clock, we opened our respective anniversary/Christmas present to each other. I was able to guess that mine was a clock radio: a National Panasonic FM-AM digital. She was to become a little disappointed that I wasn’t taking a little more interest in it. Nevertheless, she approved of her pendant necklace.

It was twenty past two when we left to walk, in our thongs and heat of thirty-three degrees Celsius, to her parents’ for a swim. Later, “Dad” shouted us to a takeaway from the Fountain Inn Restaurant. Tiki and I shared our combination chow mein and fish cutlets sweet and sour. The flies were unbearable on the patio and so we adjourned to the lounge.

Although Italy won today’s doubles rubber, it still trails Australia in this year’s final of the Davis Cup by two rubbers to one. The pairing of Paolo Bertolucci and Adriano Panatta defeated John Alexander and Phil Dent, in straight sets: 6-4, 6-4, 7-5.

The four of us viewed the Australian documentary, “The Dolphins”, from half past six and sixty minutes later a programme of the series, “Barnaby Jones”, which has an elderly Buddy Ebsen cast in the title role and Lynda Day George as its guest star.

Tiki and I arrived home by ten o’clock. This meant that I could watch the highlights from Kerry Packer’s “World Series Cricket”. Screened on Mr Packer’s own network, which includes TCN Channel Nine in Sydney, the footage came from the ground at Mount Waverly, in Melbourne, where Australian Rules is normally played. The size of the crowd at the match was totally disproportionate to the calibre of the players involved and it remains to be seen if this form of ‘pyjama’ cricket, as it is quite often derisively referred to by its detractors, can survive.

At half past ten Tiki chose to watch the film, “Our Mother’s House”. Introduced by Channel Seven’s expert on all things cinematic, Bill Collins, it was made in 1967 and stars the celebrated British actor, Dirk Bogarde. A picture of a similar vintage, “A Guide For The Married Man”, with Robert Morse, Walter Matthau and the late Inger Stevens was screened simultaneously on Channel Ten.