Pretty wonderful piece, Bill. Evocative for sure. Thanks. Sheila
On Tue, Aug 4, 2015 at 3:26 PM, Bill Wootton <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:
> Just got to pop round to Ray's
> for a minute to see if he might
> have a tail light for the trailer.
>
> Ray's: quaint that Dad would still
> refer to his local service station
> as Ray's. Ray Molloy used to race
>
> Minis, a cheeky, grease-faced loon.
> Sold me my first car: a crimson
> Morry 1100. Lasted six months.
>
> Ray'd shaken his head. Con-rod's
> shot right through the back
> of the manifold. It's buggered,
>
> he said, but I've got another
> one in the yard. He did too:
> white, rusty, peeling duco
>
> but the engine was toey-er
> than my red one. Might be worth
> transferring it to the better body.
>
> Or I could just have it as is,
> for $100. Red one never got
> a look-in. I slapped on the P's.
>
> Now, some old guy limps
> out to Dad, shakes his head.
> Jim, they don't make bulbs
>
> like this any more. Could try
> Bunnings I suppose. Feel free
> to put some air in those tyres.
>
> Dad's put 30 in one and started
> phfffting about on the other
> when the old guy shambles over
>
> with a dusty packet and a screwdriver.
> Might just give this one a go for you.
> Sure enough, the long globe
>
> does the trick. How much?
> Oh, five bucks. Dad looks
> at me. I take out a fiver
>
> from my wallet. You remember
> my boy Bill, Ray? Hell,
> it IS Ray, just fleshier, slower.
>
> He doesn't even look up,
> just finishes screwing. You
> sold me my first car, I say.
>
> Know what he did for his 75th
> birthday last year, Dad asks,
> eyes on the road.
>
> Took a cruise. Down the Rhine.
> Ray's petrol always was dearer.
> I used to go to the Caltex
>
> over the road. Now Ray's stands
> alone. And over the road six
> storeys of apartments are rising.
>
> bw
>
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