Public Address | Cafe | Busytown: Lucky Jim

Paul Rowe

Tue, 02 Sept 2008 09:46:28 +1200

Marvelous Jolisa, wonderful to read. My grandfather served in the Royal Navy, and his brother George in the Royal Naval Patrol Service. George was lost when his ship, HMS Fratton (a ferry converted to minesweeper duties) was hit by a torpedo from a German S-Boat. He was a stoker, in…

Jolisa

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 13:46:22 +1200

Thanks, guys... glad it struck a chord.

Jackie, what an affecting story. I hope David S manages a similar conversation with his Dad, although I guess we have to respect people's right to *not* want to tell their stories, especially the traumatic ones.

I'd love to hear the stories if…

Jackie Clark

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 22:08:26 +1200

If I might paraphrase Nora, Jaysus it's Jolisa. And thank the goddesses for you. Our elderly are so very precious, and their amazing stories have to live on with us, don't they? One of the loveliest conversations I had with my father was about 6 months before he died. We…

Tim Michie

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 20:11:36 +1200

Oh Jolia, I know sometimes you can't post often but when you do it is so woth the wait...

David Haywood

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:37:22 +1200

I'll echo Emma's comment. Wonderful writing, Jolisa.

You know, you should really consider putting out a book of your Busytown essays.

Emma Hart

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 10:05:17 +1200

Beautiful, Jolisa.

David Slack

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 09:44:14 +1200

On the subject of war, Sam Hunt offered this marvellous Pablo Neruda poem on Kiwi FM this morning.

I'm Explaining a Few Things

You are going to ask: and where are the lilacs?
and the poppy-petalled metaphysics?
and the rain repeatedly spattering
its words and drilling them full
of apertures…

giovanni tiso

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 09:20:53 +1200

That was a beautiful, beautiful post. I have nothing else to say.

David Slack

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 09:16:57 +1200

Dad was in J Force, which went into Japan after the surrender. He's talked a little about it, and from time to time we ask again, but the conversation never goes far. You've moved me to try again.

Jim Mora interviewed a marvellous old guy last Friday about his adventures…

Public Address

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 09:16:57 +1200

Discussion from blog post.