Sun-lit
gull winging over the roof of Abdul Razak’s shop. In the morning there had been
birds flitting through the lemon too rapid to make out – green-breasted
sparrows possibly. Lunchtime at the side fence down the street with Arthur unsighted
raucous crows seemed to be mocking the old pair of geezers chatting below.
(Arthur had smiled in agreement at the likelihood.) The last was after Robbie
and Arthur had shared something about bush mechanics who could start motors with
shotgun cartridges and also with a spurt of compressed air from tyres (which in
the case of trucks held over 100 lbs per sq. inch). A burst of early spring on
the last day of July in what has thus far been the driest winter on record. No
need for the heater beside the PC the last few mornings; the scarf abandoned
through the afternoons, together with the woolen vest that is much in need of
wash. Over a week there have been pale pink buds on the almond out front of the
studio – too late for any further pruning now…Five years were needed to
realize there were no gulls on the equator. Such an archipelago holding such
abundant bird life, without any seagulls.…In Footscray
next day a surprising
sight familiar from the streets of Singapore: a black African girl was keeping to
the shade of a shop awning while she awaited lights at the pedestrian crossing.
A
Bureau of Meteorology report to be released later today will show the country's
average July temperature was at its highest in more than 100 years, forecaster
David Crock says.
ABC
online. Tue 1 Aug 2017, 8:23am
No comments:
Post a Comment