Chuck in the Chrissy Chorus

Along Dudley Street on the return a short queue of Indians mainly for a Christmas special of some kind at Festival Hall, the little flags showed. What might that be about on a late Saturday afternoon, one week out?... Young Chinese making up the hill uncovered the mystery. Songs would be delivered there shortly; sweet tunes. In fact, precisely the business of the hall decades past—songs, and doubling for wrestling & boxing. The Beatles & Stones had played there, among numerous others over the years. Had to be a church thing now, right? Yup, the lady confirmed. And which might that be? Hill Song. Ah, Hill Song... That was the one that boasted the PM Scomo among its members. On that matter the lady was none too sure. She would be taking a brightly smiling, expectant face in there herself. Further down the path coming up American apple pie accents about to join. Like for the rockin-rollers of the past, a singalong was on the cards behind those walls shortly; if a fellow hung about maybe he could have heard from the pavement despite the hurtling traffic. (The roadway on Dudley was sure death for cyclists.) In Yarraville for pitstop the bookshop was checked again, this time the volume in question found soon enough. There it sat face-up among the other candy-coloured offerings. Yes, too right: Bonaparte, Corsica, John Berger & the Côte d'Azur all received a mention in the first 230 word paragraph of one of our literary prize-winners here in her latest release. The last jewel in the string, the famous Mediterranean playground,  had been forgotten. A few years ago in another novel by the same there had been a particular perfume, a native tree and a couple of other similar signposts in the treasure trove opening. Out on the fake grass that covered that end of Ballarat Street by the cinema & bookshop, a little live ensemble was giving more Christian cheer, a Chuck Berry number among the rest. That old rocker Chuck’s only item of the genre, the C&W gal behind the mike revealed. Memorably, the Chuckster had always been cash up front into the guitar case, Sir, if you don’t mind, before any appearance. Other big names got ripped off bad by promoters, like the boxers & the rest. Not the wise ol’ daddy oh.