born- 1936. died- 2013. who- my father. we spoke extensively about his life after he was diagnosed with cancer in 2008 and he related many fascinating stories. true story.
he was a tough old bastard who always had the feeling he was an outcast in his own family as a child and was bashed mercilessly while his brother wasn't. he found out in his 70's that the man he thought was his father in fact was not. his mother was a teacher in a small country town in western queensland who slept with a local man and the result was my father, she moved away and never went back.
a few life high/low lights from a book i may write.
1. lost his virginity as a 10 year old. was molested as a child but would get teary and not want to talk about it so never pushed it.
2. felt guilty his whole life about not going to a creek with 2 mates for a swim when young (he was a very good swimmer) one of said mates drowned.
3. his mother died when he was 14, then left home and worked in a coal mine.
4. moved to winton in CQ to work as a cattle/sheep station hand when around 16.
5. swam the diamantina river in flood.
6. got his pilots license, flew tiger moths.
7. did a mail run for a few years around far western queensland ie winton to windorah.
8. drove road trains.
9. could have joined the air force but had fell in love with my mother (a barmaid at the north gregory hotel in winton) and moved to melbourne to start a family. he told me he used to f..k anything that moved.
10. worked his arse off for the next 25 years, concreter, cab driver, b double long hauls to name a few.
11. flew gliders/hang gliders. 2 near death experiences.
12. was spiritual not religious the last 10 years or so of his life. said i don't believe in an after life i know. said he could astral travel.
13. was a heavy drinker and 100 cigarettes a day smoker, gave up both cold turkey overnight and never touched them again at around the same time.
14. was an undefeated amateur boxer.
the highest and lowest lights not included, most of the above can be expanded on greatly, but you get the idea. i used to say to him i should write a bloody book about your life, he would say not while i'm alive. have been toying with the idea in the 3 years since his death. book yes/no?
he was a tough old bastard who always had the feeling he was an outcast in his own family as a child and was bashed mercilessly while his brother wasn't. he found out in his 70's that the man he thought was his father in fact was not. his mother was a teacher in a small country town in western queensland who slept with a local man and the result was my father, she moved away and never went back.
a few life high/low lights from a book i may write.
1. lost his virginity as a 10 year old. was molested as a child but would get teary and not want to talk about it so never pushed it.
2. felt guilty his whole life about not going to a creek with 2 mates for a swim when young (he was a very good swimmer) one of said mates drowned.
3. his mother died when he was 14, then left home and worked in a coal mine.
4. moved to winton in CQ to work as a cattle/sheep station hand when around 16.
5. swam the diamantina river in flood.
6. got his pilots license, flew tiger moths.
7. did a mail run for a few years around far western queensland ie winton to windorah.
8. drove road trains.
9. could have joined the air force but had fell in love with my mother (a barmaid at the north gregory hotel in winton) and moved to melbourne to start a family. he told me he used to f..k anything that moved.
10. worked his arse off for the next 25 years, concreter, cab driver, b double long hauls to name a few.
11. flew gliders/hang gliders. 2 near death experiences.
12. was spiritual not religious the last 10 years or so of his life. said i don't believe in an after life i know. said he could astral travel.
13. was a heavy drinker and 100 cigarettes a day smoker, gave up both cold turkey overnight and never touched them again at around the same time.
14. was an undefeated amateur boxer.
the highest and lowest lights not included, most of the above can be expanded on greatly, but you get the idea. i used to say to him i should write a bloody book about your life, he would say not while i'm alive. have been toying with the idea in the 3 years since his death. book yes/no?
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