Two Birthdays – July 25th, 2026.
Two Birthdays – July 25th, 2026.
A long drive.
Not all make it—
SES sweep the wreckage from the road.
Not all make it—
SES sweep the wreckage from the road.
Police direct traffic.
We trickle past, eyes searching,
Looking for drama.
Nothing to see here, driver, move on.
Arrive at the party, a shortage of parking.
Oh well, a walk is good for me.
A down hill walk, the going is easy.
Meet Simon and Penny—
Looking lost— on the footpath.
Phone calls to the inner sanctum
To unlock the door
Had gone unanswered.
We trickle past, eyes searching,
Looking for drama.
Nothing to see here, driver, move on.
Arrive at the party, a shortage of parking.
Oh well, a walk is good for me.
A down hill walk, the going is easy.
Meet Simon and Penny—
Looking lost— on the footpath.
Phone calls to the inner sanctum
To unlock the door
Had gone unanswered.
What to do?
I try. Get Richard. Pure luck.
Slipstream a resident in
And get partially inside,
Much to Richard’s confusion.
Lydia and Sascha already there.
Table groaning with Costco platters.
Sandwiches, sushi, prawns, rolls.
Tori sets up table tennis.
Also sets up her rules—
Illegal serves are okay, smashes more so.
Actually every shot is a smash. Some go in.
Keeps telling opponents
that they are holding the bat wrong.
Opponents quickly loose interest.
Martin and kids arrive.
Noise level ups considerably.
As anticipated, the Petulant Princess
Had declined to attend.
Not missed. By me, anyway.
George plays Tori at table tennis,
Seems confused by her smash everything technique
And apparently is holding the bat wrong.
He drifts away.
Platters are unwrapped.
Drinks are poured.
Birthday cheers with paper cups—thud-thud-thud.
Lots of random conversation,
Sometimes a bit more intense:
Shu recounted how her dad
Used to walk four hours home
After a late-night shift washing dishes,
To save money to buy a car.
Lydia talked about a friend
And her problems in getting protection
From an abusive partner.
Simon talked about his new job.
Good-humoured stuff by and large.
A small boy kept running commando raids
On the packet of Grain Waves®.
Older children less secretive.
Simon produced the fired ceramics
From an earlier birthday party.
I reach my two-hour tolerance
And start thinking of how to make an exit.
I eventually excuse myself before the cake,
Not wanting a belly full of sugar
When trying to stay awake on the Calder.
No idea if they sang. Cruel and unusual torture.
I try. Get Richard. Pure luck.
Slipstream a resident in
And get partially inside,
Much to Richard’s confusion.
Lydia and Sascha already there.
Table groaning with Costco platters.
Sandwiches, sushi, prawns, rolls.
Tori sets up table tennis.
Also sets up her rules—
Illegal serves are okay, smashes more so.
Actually every shot is a smash. Some go in.
Keeps telling opponents
that they are holding the bat wrong.
Opponents quickly loose interest.
Martin and kids arrive.
Noise level ups considerably.
As anticipated, the Petulant Princess
Had declined to attend.
Not missed. By me, anyway.
George plays Tori at table tennis,
Seems confused by her smash everything technique
And apparently is holding the bat wrong.
He drifts away.
Platters are unwrapped.
Drinks are poured.
Birthday cheers with paper cups—thud-thud-thud.
Lots of random conversation,
Sometimes a bit more intense:
Shu recounted how her dad
Used to walk four hours home
After a late-night shift washing dishes,
To save money to buy a car.
Lydia talked about a friend
And her problems in getting protection
From an abusive partner.
Simon talked about his new job.
Good-humoured stuff by and large.
A small boy kept running commando raids
On the packet of Grain Waves®.
Older children less secretive.
Simon produced the fired ceramics
From an earlier birthday party.
I reach my two-hour tolerance
And start thinking of how to make an exit.
I eventually excuse myself before the cake,
Not wanting a belly full of sugar
When trying to stay awake on the Calder.
No idea if they sang. Cruel and unusual torture.
Kids and Simon in beanbags
Waiting to watch something on TV.
Made my farewells, hugs all around.
Left. Then returned. Then left again
But with jacket and scarf this time.
Up hill slog to the car.
Turned on the travel music,
Loud and with plenty of beat,
Told the car to take me home.
Another long drive.
Uneventful this time.
Heard messages come in from my Queen.
Asked Siri to read them to me. She refused.
Made my farewells, hugs all around.
Left. Then returned. Then left again
But with jacket and scarf this time.
Up hill slog to the car.
Turned on the travel music,
Loud and with plenty of beat,
Told the car to take me home.
Another long drive.
Uneventful this time.
Heard messages come in from my Queen.
Asked Siri to read them to me. She refused.
Bloody prima donna. Queen-envy, no doubt.
Pulled over once I left the freeway to check them.
Home.
Pulled over once I left the freeway to check them.
Home.
Bed.
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