Friday, August 10, 2007

Creature from the Black Lagoon

I had another good week of running with recent niggles and injuries all behaving themselves. I also had the most delightful fun yesterday morning (Sunday) with one of my running buddies. It was a dream morning for running.

We started at Weston Park in Yarralumla just as the sun gushed orange over distant hills, giving birth to another day. Barely a cloud in the sky. It was a mild morning; crisp but not cold. Cockatoos and Galahs squawked their welcome. As we ran along the southern shores of Lake Burley Griffin around Lotus Bay towards Reconciliation Place in Parkes there were even some sea gulls, a surprise.

I love these runs when there's little pressure or expectations. We jogged a bit and walked a little with plenty of time to observe. The birds were friendly, but so were the people. We came across guys preparing their boats, a young couple taking photos, and a few runners and walkers. There were smiles and waves, everyone relaxed. What is it about mornings like this? There's an order and simplicity to Nature where each has their place - even for us, these strange, bipedal intruders we sometimes seem to be.

Except I think when it comes to water. Last Thursday night I headed off to the Australian Academy of Science building, "the Dome", to attend a Get Up political forum on the Australian Senate. There is an unfenced moat with about a metre and a half of water sitting idly around the outside of the building. As I waited at the building entrance, I thought surely many a bugger pissed to the hilt would have stumbled outside from a cocktail function or something similar and trundled into that water.

Sure enough not ten minutes later, that is exactly what happened. Except it was no drunken skunk, but a dear old lady in a wheelchair. She probably had visions in her youth of being a Formula One driver perhaps. She took the corner of the pathway, too fast and too tight and, yep...plop!..went straight into the drink. Oh, this was funny! She didn't think so, of course, and she had a point. She was SINKING! She certainly wasn't thinking of England as she lay on her back, the water rising, tangled in that chair of hers.

Many hands make light work, but that doesn't apply to old ladies sinking in wheel chairs. Yes, many helpers extended their hands from the (dry!) edge of the abyss. Yet she continued to flounder. There was only one solution - TD to the rescue! In my business suit and shiny leather shoes (less the jacket) I jumped in to help the damsel in distress. With one hand through her legs and the other under her back, it was like tossing sheep at the Cloncurry annual show as I...er...'manoeuvred' her up to the helpers' hands at the edge of the moat.

Yay, she was saved. I do remember her smiling as she was driven off and at least she was happy. As for me, I later felt silly sitting in that large auditorium listening to the debate completely wet below the waist. I imagined I also smelt like that putrefied creep in the "Creature from the Black Lagoon". A bizarre night to say the least.

12 comments:

Rae! said...

Well that was an adventure.A beautiful morning run,with good company and a evening filled with action.Despite the smell.
Sounds like a full day to me.Good job TD. :)

Cirque said...

Well done TD. If I ever emerge from a cocktail party slightly the worse for wear I sure hope you're there.

BTW - I hope you found time to put your underpants on over your trousers before you took the plunge.

Stephen Lacey said...

Oh dear! I know I shouldn't have been laughing out loud at that, but I'm afraid you made me do it. It must have given the old girl a bit of excitement. In fact...I can just imagine the security guard shaking his head and going "Oh God, there goes Ethel again. That must be the fifth time this week."

Tesso said...

Too funny :-) I can't believe you had to sit there afterwards though, you must've been freeeeeezing!

warriorwoman said...

Goog grief that would have been pretty scary - good job you were on hand!

Sekhmet said...

I think that may have been your "karma" reward for laughing at a little old lady in a wheel chair falling into a moat - how un-PC of you Don!

You did give me a good laugh though, so I guess we are both going to hell :-)

Ewen said...

Good story TD. The knight in shining business suit comes to the rescue again. Lucky the do wasn't at Regatta Point and she'd rolled down the hill into LBG!

Rob said...

After all your experiences around the world TD only one like that could happen in Australia.

Good on you for jumping in after the poor old dear.

Anonymous said...

If you were a comedian you could have started off a gag with, "A funny thing happened on the way here...." made a joke and nobody would have believed that it really happened.

Good effort.

Vicky said...

Well TD I always get a giggle from your posts and these last two are no exception...! Thanks! Like Cirque I had visions of you in your undies and a cape!

I certainly hear you about those injuries that plague you for ages and then just get up & leave... often when you least expect them to... Have one like that at the mo! Glad to hear that yours are all behaving and hope Noosa was grand!

MAR.

Unknown said...

I suppose we shouldn't laugh....but it must have been a terribly funny sight to see!

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