They are climbing the steep incline road to the top of Red Rock. Five old Aussie soldiers on their bicycles. They cajole and encourage each other to stand and push, you can do it, if I can you can you old crusty bastard. Together they arrive, tired, exhilarated, having again defeated an enemy to successfully take this hill. They stand on the edge gazing out in the vast, long dormant volcanic plain below. At their request I take their picture. "We come here to celebrate Remembrance Day" says one. "It's time" says another. "We still have 15 seconds by my watch." "Shaddup Pat."
Tick tock tick tock tick tock...
For one minute we share fellowship of silence. Pat staring to the ground. His mate staring at his friends. The three remaining staring out across the vast vista beyond. And me staring at five old soldiers who fought together. I admire and give my silent thanks for the peace and freedom they have found.
1 comment:
You've done something not easy to do - captured the Aussie vernacular and the "larikinism" perfectly - the irreverent reverence afforded to the most sombre of events. These blokes would have been in Viet Nam. Their larikin spirit most likely kept them sane.
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