Reading—A beer with Baz Mick entered pub, scanned the room, rubbed an eye and decided to take up a stool at the bar. He rechecked the front bar. No Bazza. The young bar aNendant served him a schooner, waived the payment and passed him a photograph. Vol 16 September 15th 2017 28 April December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 27th 2018
The aNendant widened his eyes, 7lted his head back slightly and waited. Mick turned the photograph over but the young bar aNendant s7ll hovered. ‘It’s called a postcard. In the olden days people used to send you one of these to get you jealous about their holiday.’ The bar aNendant leaned in ‘How do you show you ‘like’ it. I mean there is no buNon at the boNom of it to press to give it the ‘thumbs up’ or a ‘heart’, and you can’t even make a comment.’ Mick ran his fingers through his hair. ‘If you don’t like it, you put it in the bin. I suppose if you like it a lot, you would put it up on the no7ceboard over there, and people might make a comment to each other whilst they’re having a beer.’ Mick ignored the shake of the head and put his glasses on. Dear Mick, You probably have forgo!en I told you I was heading out west for a bit of a road trip. I’ve leD ten dollars with the bar a!endant for a beer, as I don’t want you talking about me. I got away just before the whole COVID-19 outbreak in Sydney and I must admit, I feel a bit like Popeye the Sailor with only half a can of spinach in me. I’ve only had the first shot of the vaccina on but I’m probably safer out here, near Broken Hill, as they could mandate a ten kilometre social distancing rule and you would s ll only find a kangaroo for company. The sunsets are easily the most striking feature this far west. The sun exhausts itself into a red earth with soothing soD yellows, fading to purples of varying hues. It really is quite spiritual and almost forgiving of whatever sins it has witnessed over the day, decade or even millenniums. It’s somewhat unifying. The earth’s unques oning acceptance of a weary sun at the end of the day does bring on reflec on. Anyhow Mick, you’re probably nodding off into your free schooner. On a lighter note, the beer is much be!er out here. Water is at such a premium, they can’t afford to dilute their amber fluid. All the best, Bazza The young bar aNendant interrupted his thoughts. ‘Well Mick, do you like it enough to put the postcard thing up on the no7ceboard?’ Mick took a sip of his beer, gave it a good swirl in his mouth and gave the schooner glass a wary look. ‘Ahhh…. yeah ok, but you beNer give me some whiteout. I’ll knock out the last paragraph.’ ‘What’s whiteout?’ beagle weekly : Vol 214 July 2nd 2021
Have a beer with Baz at john.longhurst59@gmail.com 29
