Henrietta Dubb's Diary
The frisbee, the sausage and the
barbeque
Last week, walking through the village, I was hit by a
frisbee. Hit is probably too hard a word. It glided into my reach with no fuss
at all. The owner was with his friends from a day centre in Geelong. It was
their monthly outing to Point Lonsdale - a barbeque lunch.
"Frisbee" said Johnno coming up to me.
"My name's Johnno. What's yours?"
"Hen" I said. "Henny."
"Henny," said Johnno pointing.
"Sausages".
I saw the smoke rising from the barbeque. "Smells
good," I said. Johnno replied. "Me too. Lunch."
Johnno's frisbee partner came up.
"Frisbee" she said, taking the frisbee off
Johnno and throwing it so that it almost cleared the hedge into the Bowls Club.
It stuck in a branch. I reached up and threw it low toward where the main party
had assembled.
"Good throw!" Shelley clapped. "My
name's Shelley", said Shelley. "Lunch. Sausages." She grabbed me
by the arm and took me over to the main group. "What's your name?"
she asked. "Henny" I replied. "That's short for Henrietta."
I smiled at the three workers, busy in various phases
of picnic preparation and feeding. Shelley and Johnno were the two who spoke. I
was introduced to the others - Di, Gus, Rolly and Belle.
"Hi Di. Hi Gus. Hi Rolly and Hi Belle. I'm Henny.
You can call me Hen."
"No you're not." Johnno wanted me to eat a
sausage. Johnno knew something more was needed. "This is Mary."
Johnno took my arm "and this is Bill and this is Marjorie. I'm her boy
friend." His cheeky smile went from ear to ear.
"No you are not!"
"She loves me!" Johnno persisted looking at
me impishly.
Marjorie knew her cue. "Yes I do," she said
"very much. But Johnno you are not my boy friend!" Johnno was
smiling, trying hard to look hurt. But he giggled. Then he threw his arms
around Marjorie. "And I love you too" he said.
Shelley piped up. "Do you love me, Henny?"
Mary, Bill and Marjorie smiled at me - they knew how Johnno and Shelley made
friends wherever they went.
"Yes," I said, feeling only slightly
exposed, "You all make me very happy. Thanks for coming. Come again!"
"Here. Sausage" said Shelley. Johnno reached
over for the sauce bottle and squirted some on my snack which I was trying to
consume in my now greasy fingers. Not to be outdone, Shelley provided two
slices of bread.
After a time, I took my leave and walked on, happy.
The kindness of Johnno and Shelley stayed with me as I walked. To be
alive, to play, to eat, to talk, to joke is just part of being a friend. For a
brief time they had invited me to be theirs.
HD
Henrietta Dubb, Christian
citizen of the 21st century.
September
2004 © Henrietta Dubb's Diary, is written and
published by Bruce C Wearne, 29 Lawrence Rd., Point Lonsdale Vic 3225
AUSTRALIA, 61-3-5258-3913. Each entry in the diary may be
photocopied or retransmitted in its entirety but shall not otherwise be
reprinted or transmitted without the author's written permission. This is
a project to encourage positive Christian citizenship, the development of
policies and political attitudes that better express our love for God and our
neighbour. Comments are welcome. Email can be sent to bcwearne@ozemail.com.au
Web-site http://members.ozemail.com.au/~bcwearne/hdd.htm