True Story

[alongtimegone]

In 1962 and ’63 I was teaching in Cloncurry and found myself a side job singing with the local band. On one occasion we drove to a place called Sedan Dip 100 kilometres north of Julia Creek where cattle from the north used to be dipped on the way south. At the Dip there was a racetrack and a hall and once a year, graziers from all over would come for a race meeting, huge BBQ and a dance. As it turned out there was no usable microphone so I had the night off. This is how I met my wife.

The orchestra
(all four of them)
were hired to play at the dance
but the vocal microphone didn’t work
so I had the night to myself
and she was there
brought along to look after
one of the grazier’s young children
but they were asleep
and you know what it’s like
stars you can almost touch
muted melodies in three four time
because waltzes and Prides of Erin
were about it for the band
and the dancers too
so we really got into it and promised each other
we’d get together back in town when she finished up
which turned out to be the following week
and now fifty-nine years later here we still are
so I guess it was serious.

[Catherine Lee]

Delightful story, Wazza, and I love the way you've ended it with "so I guess it was serious"!

[alongtimegone]

Thank you Catherine. Strange how things happen. If the microphone had been working I would have been inside the hall with the band and would not have met Robyn. Fate???