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Post by StormInateacup on Apr 8, 2012 13:05:11 GMT -5
At the Sydney Easter Show. He was an older man. Past 60 at least. He was making jewellery on a stall. Name brooches and pendants and he made one for Isis. One of the bad aspects of having a unique name is that she's never been able to get the pillows or pendants or cups with her name on them like all the other kids have been able to.
So I got him to make her a pendant in silver. He began to talk to me as he worked. Asking about why I had called her Isis. We had a lovely chat about Paganism. That moved us onto modern Egyptian politics and then to world politics and the insidious erosion of freedoms in modern society.
It took him about 20 minutes to twist and fashion the little silver wires into her name and attach a little curlicue with an amethyst on it. All the while he chatted to me is his lovely soft Eastern European accent.
When I paid him he said "Wait a moment my dear"
And proceeded to pick up a little piece of 18 carat gold wire. He made me a tiny heart with a garnet in it and said "Here. This is for you to say thank you for the lovely conversation you have given me."
And I felt all shiny about people and Sydney and stuff for ages after.
We all meet lovely people a lot more often than we think but we seem to recall the arseholes more clearly. Or maybe we're so used to the arseholes we too often miss seeing the lovely people in front of us.
So - what strangers have you met lately who cheered your day?
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Post by admin on Apr 8, 2012 13:12:15 GMT -5
We have met several since becoming gypsies. It seems a smile and a simple hello is all that is required.
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Post by philipkduck on Apr 8, 2012 14:01:29 GMT -5
Wonderful story Eartha.
This topic is too good to get buried. Could there be 'good people i have met / dickheads I have met' category ?
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Post by StormInateacup on Apr 8, 2012 14:17:47 GMT -5
We have met several since becoming gypsies. It seems a smile and a simple hello is all that is required. Travelling is like that. Seems to take you to places where everyone is glad to see you. People are glad to see you coming through if they're local. You mean business to them. They're as high as you are on the freedom if they're another traveller. Truck drivers are lonely as all buggery and just want a conversation. Hitch hikers are grateful you're not a crazed sex killer ..LMAO. I loved the grey nomads when I was travelling (that's what we call retired people who travel) I'd always say "Gday where did you come from?" And they'll talk and offer you a beer. Tell you where the good fishing spots are. They always know where the petrol and dinner deals are cheapest and which caravan parks and camping grounds have toilets that are clean and lets you have dogs. Mines of information they are. In fact my friend in Oklahoma is thinking of going on the road when her husband deploys again. She'd find you really handy for tips like that. |
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Post by admin on Apr 8, 2012 14:26:18 GMT -5
Be happy to share what we have learned with her, everyone out here is willing, in fact.
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Post by StormInateacup on Apr 8, 2012 14:30:02 GMT -5
Oooh good. I have been working on her to get here and now I have the perfect bait. You!
lol
I told her that if she has trouble reversing into a spot at a camping ground some lovely old bloke will always offer to do it for her - that's right isn't it? Till she learns how to do it herself.
She'll home school the kids - they're really young. I think it would be a far better way to wait for him that at an army base with all the other wives worried and not able to get away from the sight of uniforms.
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Post by admin on Apr 8, 2012 14:33:30 GMT -5
Oooh good. I have been working on her to get here and now I have the perfect bait. You!
lol I told her that if she has trouble reversing into a spot at a camping ground some lovely old bloke will always offer to do it for her - that's right isn't it? Till she learns how to do it herself. She'll home school the kids - they're really young. I think it would be a far better way to wait for him that at an army base with all the other wives worried and not able to get away from the sight of uniforms. Oh yeah, someone will always be willing to help, but places made for these beasts are also made easy enough to back into. Many have pull-throughs, no backing. She will need a checking account, places like the state parks here don't accept plastic, and who wants to carry a wad of cash around. |
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Post by Random Panther on Apr 8, 2012 14:47:15 GMT -5
Speaking of the grey nomads,we were staying in a caravan park while traveling from Sydney to Cairns. We were staying in shitty little dome tents when it started to rain,proper rain,it came down in sheets. One half of an old couple left the campervan and insisted,she wouldn't take no for an answer,that we abandon the miserable little tents and wait it out over coffee with herself and the hubby in the van. Really interesting couple,they'd been over your entire country twice since they retired. Really cool people,we got the best travel advise from a couple that had clearly seen and done it all.
There was a family futher up the coast,after seeing myself and my travel buddy fishing and coming back empty handed,they showed up where we were camping with an eskey full of whiting. They said they couldn't let us leave without having a feed of fish. We made them stay,got some beers in and we had an impromptu bbq with the fish.
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Post by admin on Apr 8, 2012 14:57:58 GMT -5
It really is the best life. If it wasn't for my SSDI we wouldn't be able to do it at all.
We met one old lady, 83 years old. Micky, she has been living alone on the road for 26 years. We still see her from time to time.
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Post by StormInateacup on Apr 8, 2012 15:07:34 GMT -5
Speaking of the grey nomads,we were staying in a caravan park while traveling from Sydney to Cairns. We were staying in shitty little dome tents when it started to rain,proper rain,it came down in sheets. One half of an old couple left the campervan and insisted,she wouldn't take no for an answer,that we abandon the miserable little tents and wait it out over coffee with herself and the hubby in the van. Really interesting couple,they'd been over your entire country twice since they retired. Really cool people,we got the best travel advise from a couple that had clearly seen and done it all. There was a family futher up the coast,after seeing myself and my travel buddy fishing and coming back empty handed,they showed up where we were camping with an eskey full of whiting. They said they couldn't let us leave without having a feed of fish. We made them stay,got some beers in and we had an impromptu bbq with the fish. Yes! That's exactly what it's like. I love travelling by road. I have no notion why people limit themselves to planes and the resorts they land at. You can't get to see a country like that. You get to know about Club Med and nothing else. |
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