Peter Riley of Penrith seems a little keyed up: “Many moons ago, at school, we were given a series of vocational guidance tests supposedly to avoid too many square pegs in round holes. I had a mate who was told to be a typewriter mechanic. No plan B, just that. Last week I was chatting to someone who went to a different school and, strangely enough, he was given the same typewriter mechanic directive. Were these recommendations totally kosher or were they trying to fill gaps in the labour market? Then again they told me to be a lawyer, and you can never have enough of them.”
“Mention of Collector (C8) reminded me that there is a NSW Police Highway Patrol car often hiding in the bushes of the Federal Highway median strip there,” notes Greg Oehm of Western Creek (Tas). “I believe the locality’s full name is Revenue Collector.”
The other haunt currently under discussion is the village of Broke (C8), the acknowledgment of which gave David Gordon of Cranbrook cause to remember that one time “the clue in a Herald crossword was along the lines of ’2880 formed from 2330 and 3418?′ (6,4). Broke is 2330, and Nhill is 3418; string them together, and you get Broken Hill (2880).”
“Among many young Irish professionals (C8) calling Australia home are podiatrists, regularly visiting nursing homes,” writes Rosemary Seam of Kempsey. “One of our favourites is Alexander, from a rural area near Belfast. His brother stayed at home to run the family farm, and we look forward to regular updates.”
“Judging by their number plates, the physicians were out in force on the roads last weekend,” says Viv Munter of Pennant Hills. “Spotted on luxury cars was 1DR and IMPLNT. On a hat trick, I noticed HIPPO too. Could that have been short for Hippocrates or a hip replacement surgeon?”
Stephen Tait of Rose Bay was perusing beyond C8 to Tuesday’s business pages and read of a yoghurt company with “the new CEO saying he has ‘inherited a business with a good culture’. Was he keeping that line warm for a while?”
“After watching the first half of State of Origin II, maybe the ‘unsure’ brigade (C8) thought they were watching a Wests Tigers match?” offers Bill Young of Killcare Heights. Careful, Bill. Any more talk like that and Peter Miniutti will come after you with a wooden spoon!
Column8@smh.com.au
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