Due to a sloppy head cold, nasty wet weather with a chilly wind playing off the snowfields and an upsurge in customers, last week was a tough one for yours truly.\u00a0 I\u2019ve had to break out my woolly vests for the first time in 3 years.<\/p>\n
The increased visitors were the result of the school holidays, but there were also a large number of extra customers who had lost their gruntle due to buses at the nearby stop.\u00a0 Trams are slow but buses in city traffic are slooooow.<\/p>\n
“Very poor service!” snapped one entitled young woman in crisp, upper-class tones. “I\u2019m going to miss my country train because of you.”<\/p>\n
Her posh accent (Melbourne Grammar at least) made my hackles rise but I resisted temptation and refrained from pointing out that she\u2019d cut her connection too fine if it was that important.\u00a0 That never goes anywhere good.<\/p>\n
But the toughest thing about last week was seeing M and C who once again find themselves homeless.<\/p>\n
They showed up with a large suitcase having had to put their new-born baby into care with the Salvos.\u00a0 So at least he is warm and dry.\u00a0 Apparently they are able to visit him every day too.<\/p>\n
Lately when M has showed up scrounging money \u201cfor milk for the baby\u201d I\u2019ve wondered if this unseen child actually exists, but their distress last week was palpable.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was awful leaving him.\u00a0 Little M cried and then M cried and then I couldn\u2019t help crying,\u201d said C.<\/p>\n
M tells me he was in care from the time he was six. I suspect he fears for his son as well.\u00a0 Bad luck and small mistakes make a critical mass of difficulties that are difficult to get over.\u00a0 There but for the grace of God \u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Due to a sloppy head cold, nasty wet weather with a chilly wind playing off the snowfields and an upsurge in customers, last week was a tough one for yours truly.\u00a0 I\u2019ve had to break out my woolly vests for the first time in 3 years. The increased visitors were the result of the school …<\/p>\n