Sometimes, when stress levels run high, you actually don’t have to look too hard to find something to make one smile. I thought of three friends of mine. I once was their boss and we have tried over the years to remain in contact. They are a bit like Charlie’s Angels (or I should I call them ‘Steven’s Angels’?). We caught up for dinner at Docklands in Melbourne. The meal was fabulous and the conversation flowed easily. We each took turns at telling one another of our last few months and there was much talk about 209 A Story and how many people know about the novel.
It was after dinner when something occurred that made me laugh like I had not laughed in a long, long time. I drove the ‘Angels’ out to Moonee Ponds to collect their individual vehicles and I stopped at the service station to put fuel in the car. For 11pm, I was surprised at how the place was packed – with cars on every pump.
More about this later…
The bushfires here in Victoria have been nothing less then horrific. The hundreds of email I have received from all over the world and the many text messages that buzzed my new iphone at silly o’clock (and at other times during the night and day) were a constant reminder to me that people do care. The images that went around the world were of tired fire fighters, desperate people who had lost everything, individuals who recounted amazing stories of survival and thousands of ‘spots’ where houses (and towns) once stood.
Looking beyond this – there were other things that happened this week that put a different slant on the situation.
As most of you would be aware, my love for the City of Melbourne is beyond my love for any other place on the planet. After being fortunate enough to have travelled extensively (over many years), I made the decision to settle here ten years ago. It is now my home town. During this week it was so easy to see what was on everyone’s mind and why I am so proud of the place. People who were once strangers openly talked to one another... on trams and at coffee shops and in the street. Everything I overheard was based around ‘the situation’ and generally it turned to ways in which they were able to help those affected.
It made me very happy and I was proud to call myself a Melbournian.
After the initial shock of the bushfires there were glimmers of goodness trying to make its way through the sense of despair. Firstly, there was the photograph of Sam the Koala. Like many others to recieve the image via email... I just cried! Secondly, on Thursday night the sky across Melbourne was so thick with smoke that it was quite difficult to walk home. I got to the Prince’s Bridge crossing the Yarra and stood for a while and tried to make out the MCG and the Royal Botanic Garden. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew and there before me, in the sky, was the most amazing sight. It was the moon. No ordinary moon. It was a full moon. It was a moon that appeared like one enormous, luminous ruby. It was magical. I know I was not the only person who saw it. It was like a gift to the people of Victoria because we would have been the only ones to have seen it like this. It was a hard week for all.
It was quite ironic that the week of the greatest natural disaster in the history of Australia was the same week as www.209astory.com coming on-line. I am sure the sense of helplessness of those who remained behind or those who had survived the disaster of RMS Titanic in 1912 was similar to the thoughts of many Melbourians this past week.
So… I finished filling the car with fuel and took out my wallet to go and pay for the petrol. I was thinking about the dinner, my friends and how excited I am about the up-and-coming launch of 209 A Story. I walked toward the glass doors and they did not open automatically so I leaned across and pressed the button beside the door…
It was after dinner when something occurred that made me laugh like I had not laughed in a long, long time. I drove the ‘Angels’ out to Moonee Ponds to collect their individual vehicles and I stopped at the service station to put fuel in the car. For 11pm, I was surprised at how the place was packed – with cars on every pump.
More about this later…
The bushfires here in Victoria have been nothing less then horrific. The hundreds of email I have received from all over the world and the many text messages that buzzed my new iphone at silly o’clock (and at other times during the night and day) were a constant reminder to me that people do care. The images that went around the world were of tired fire fighters, desperate people who had lost everything, individuals who recounted amazing stories of survival and thousands of ‘spots’ where houses (and towns) once stood.
Looking beyond this – there were other things that happened this week that put a different slant on the situation.
As most of you would be aware, my love for the City of Melbourne is beyond my love for any other place on the planet. After being fortunate enough to have travelled extensively (over many years), I made the decision to settle here ten years ago. It is now my home town. During this week it was so easy to see what was on everyone’s mind and why I am so proud of the place. People who were once strangers openly talked to one another... on trams and at coffee shops and in the street. Everything I overheard was based around ‘the situation’ and generally it turned to ways in which they were able to help those affected.
It made me very happy and I was proud to call myself a Melbournian.
After the initial shock of the bushfires there were glimmers of goodness trying to make its way through the sense of despair. Firstly, there was the photograph of Sam the Koala. Like many others to recieve the image via email... I just cried! Secondly, on Thursday night the sky across Melbourne was so thick with smoke that it was quite difficult to walk home. I got to the Prince’s Bridge crossing the Yarra and stood for a while and tried to make out the MCG and the Royal Botanic Garden. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew and there before me, in the sky, was the most amazing sight. It was the moon. No ordinary moon. It was a full moon. It was a moon that appeared like one enormous, luminous ruby. It was magical. I know I was not the only person who saw it. It was like a gift to the people of Victoria because we would have been the only ones to have seen it like this. It was a hard week for all.
It was quite ironic that the week of the greatest natural disaster in the history of Australia was the same week as www.209astory.com coming on-line. I am sure the sense of helplessness of those who remained behind or those who had survived the disaster of RMS Titanic in 1912 was similar to the thoughts of many Melbourians this past week.
So… I finished filling the car with fuel and took out my wallet to go and pay for the petrol. I was thinking about the dinner, my friends and how excited I am about the up-and-coming launch of 209 A Story. I walked toward the glass doors and they did not open automatically so I leaned across and pressed the button beside the door…
It was not an ‘entry’ button!
The entire place plunged into darkness! The emergency lighting came on and sirens began basting their woooop… woooop sounds! Most people jumped. The people inside the store could not get out… and those of us outside could not get in. The grumpy man behind the console looked even grumpier and it took him a good minute or so to turn the system off. I am pleased I could not hear what he said because the look he shot me... and the words being mouthed really appeared quite unkind and not at all sympathetic to my situation. At that point I wanted the world to swallow me up because EVERYONE knew exactly who had set off the alarm.
Then I began to laugh… because during dinner one of the Angels said to me… 'Rafter, are you sure you are ready for fame of 209 A Story?'
Have a good week everyone…
Steven
ps - the website is up and if you would like to attend one of the launch parties in the UK, Australia or in the USA - please go to www.209astory.com - you can also purchase your copy of the novel. Special First Print Edition almost sold out!
