ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

SUCH IS LIFE


“Stand and deliver” Ned said with an empty tin can on his head
and tight lipped passengers complied, coins falling on the dirt outside.
The young girls faces were aglow, Ned had tipped them a wink just for show.
They hadn’t really got a fright, night was falling, chasing the last light.

They say that dead men tell no tales, but Ned’s history never fails
to stir up emotions and thoughts, and the truth of his story is sought
‘cross the long decades of time, our bushranger Ned rules sublime.
I tell here in case you don’t know, ‘such is life’ Kelly coined long ago.

And still in Australia today, Ned Kelly in our lives holds sway.
A euphemism is of’t drawn between Ned and those who have torn
hard cash from their customers purse with no intent to reimburse
if the goods are not as they should be – it appears that Ned Kelly is free.

So be warned fellow shoppers of note – that ‘one size fits all’ as is wrote
is a Furphy of majestic size – that unfortunately wont stretch that wide.
One size don’t fit all is the truth I discovered this last week forsooth
A refund? Go read the fine print. Such is life sayeth Ned – I didn’t.

Maureen Clifford © 11/11

Isn't that a touch cynical Maureen.

What???? That people with Ned Kelly tendencies are still around or that one size doesn't fit all - trust me Neville it's true, they are and they don't

Under such circumstances Maureen, which I sadly have to agree is endemic these days, croc says 'How much?!!? I thought Ned Kelly was dead. Do you keep a gun under the counter...' etc etc I try to avoid shopping with him, but I must say...his refund success rate is way higher than mine. (Sorry Neville, but I'm finding that just about NO ONE does their job properly these days & could care less about that....& the customer. I've got 3 running battles at present, one being $400 spectacle lenses that snapped clean off, like a bite from a dinosaur, & they have no intention of replacing them....yet. My having a background in high quality customer service adds to my chagrin. We worked so hard to establish that....& now....???)

Hey Maureen, I just read the most fantastic book by Peter Cleary, 'The True History of The Kelly Gang'. It's a pearler!

Anyway....cheeers
Glenny

I was thinking Maureen, Glenny, ...surely it would be cynical to think that all retailers are motivated by basically criminal motives. I defer to your knowledge and experience ladies So much to learn, so little time .

Not really that cynical Neville I tend to work on the principle that all people are basically honest and deserve a fair shake but sadly I have been shafted so many times by dodgy tradesmen etc that I now put all tradesmen to a stringent test and if they don't pass it they don't get the job.

Basically they have to pass the double D test - DOG- DOG - Don't offer garbage. Do only good. If they can't get past Mahalia they don't get the job....experience has proved she is a far better judge of character than her mother. Hoping my current handyman proves me right. Not building a RAMP but repainting front and back steps in a non slip finish and fixing up some dodgy guttering (still more) problems bequeathed by the plumber that Mahalia hated.

Fingers crossed

I know about the dog test Maureen. When I was working in the Constabulary I dropped a lady off at the local women's refuge and made the mistake of going through the gate with her to see her in. They had a HUGE Alsation dog obviously trained to devour males. Ahhhh . I just managed to escape intact

Why do we continue to make a folk hero out of a thief, murderer and all round criminal?

When all I ever get is, Dave Who?

TTFN Dave Who

dunno about the first two Dave but the third one sounds like most of our pollies

the old battler

Read Cleary's 'True History Of The Kelly Gang' Dave & you may adopt a different view of Neddy boy. Personally, I think it's his mother who deserved to swing.