Winning friends and influencing people

Yesterday evening was one of those nights that remind Jen and I why we still live in Darwin despite its many drawbacks.  The warm wet breeze blowing as the sun set over the harbour, silhouetting a huge gas tanker leaving for Japan, sitting under the palm trees at the Ski Club listening to Kyla Brox and her band play classic blues.

Even the big ugly male bull terrier at the table next to us was almost loveable, snuggling around the feet of the women at our table.  Despite its placid nature, the group at the next table had apparently only managed to get to the Ski Club by telling the taxi phone operator that it was a guide dog!   One of the women explained that, even though the bullie was now owned by an ageing bikey bloke with her group (the Ski Club’s management is said to be closely associated with the Hell’s Angels), it had been raised by a woman and so associated them with security. 

Jen is wont to boast of her prowess gained from Melbourne’s school of hard knocks, and reckons she knows a few things about avoiding getting the crap beaten out of herself or her partner.  I can only assume she’s getting a bit rusty from lack of practise.  Telling a middle aged Hell’s Angel that his bull terrier is “a poofta” and has “homosexual tendencies” was never a good move where I grew up.  Deathly silence was followed by coughs and splutters and “If you were a bloke I would have decked you by now”.  I kept gazing studiedly out to sea, while the bikey struck a few more ineffectual aggressive poses and then took his dog over to the Museum lawns for a poo. 

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

8 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
jen
jen
17 years ago

BOYS! Did anyone get hit?

It was a 50/50 on inter-table pleasantness or unpleasantness as the case turned out to be as – even though he was the owner of a rather remarkable pooch (only bullie guide dog I know – and he is a guide dog – just ask the cabbie, just ask the cab company – they make allowances for respectable professionals)

Fighting? – it was all he could do to remain upright. Swaggering around in true old timer bogan bravado. He got to deliver his best line….if you were a man I’d a …. And Ken didn’t mention this man could barely stand – gently swaying like the palms overhead. The greatest threat he posed to anyone was where he might fall, but he didn’t do that either, he melted away (with his guide dog) as the blind drunk often do.

Caroline
17 years ago

Sounds like you assessed the situation fairly accurately Jen.

Pappinbarra Fox
Pappinbarra Fox
17 years ago

So why is it that a male dog that likes the company of women is a poofta? Does that rule apply to homo sapiens too? So that only men who like the company of other men (a man’s man if you will) are not poofters? Mmmm. Let me see … so men who like hanging around women are gilry girls and they’re limp wristed pooftas with homosexual tendencies. Yeah sounds right.

Rex
Rex
17 years ago

That terrific photo reminds me of the superb sunset I saw off Mindil beach when I was at the Sunday Market in October.

The Market was quite delightful. An interesting mix of bogans, office dorks, blackfellas, asians, southern tourists and hippy types. There’s not too many places in Australia where you’d see all of these together on one beach at the same time.

I was particularly struck by the beautiful tanned hippy chicks and their well ventilated hippy blouses and I don’t think I was the only one. A number of female Southern tourists (pale) were seen trying on these garments too, perhaps hoping to be the ones to introduce this style down South.

Funnily enough though, these clothes are never seen on the streets in Melbourne. Where they end up is one of life’s little mysteries.

Niall
17 years ago

In the back of wardrobes together with the 1970’s paisley ties, twenty year old homemade Startrek costumes, coal-black double-breasted suits, flared jeans some 4 sizes too small and the motorsport fan jackets covered in ‘Ford’ and ‘DJR’ patches.

Rex
Rex
17 years ago

Have you been rummaging around in my wardrobe?

hc
hc
17 years ago

Great post and a great photo. Jen has attitude that will put a Hell’s Angel in their place. Well done.

david tiley
17 years ago

“Coal black double breasted suit..” mmmmmmm You got one fits a tubby little man with a pointy head an v. long legs?