As I walked to work at 8am, I saw more and more people wearing red shirts. Around Fed Square, groups of three or four were smiling and drinking coffee.
A block later, four police men in fluoro yellow jackets walked towards me. Then a crowd of police in fluoro poured put of the police station on Flinders Lane. They all headed to Fed Square.
By mid-morning, it was clear what was going on.
I wonder where the purple people came from?
Last night we went to Red Spice Road for dinner. The waiter brought us over to one of the communal tables and handed us menus full of exciting options.
While Damjan, Jana and Rajko discussed which dishes to order, I was half listening to the group next to us. The man and two women were finishing up their dinner and called for the bill.
Five minutes later, I saw one of the women take out her iPhone and tap on the screen.
‘So…’ she said, ‘One hundred and eighty dollars… divide by three…’ The answer blinked on screen.
‘Okay, so it’s sixty dollars each,’ she announced.
I saw this van and thought it was funny.
I was sitting by the river on Southbank. It was sunny and I was waiting a few minutes before my meeting.
‘Excuse me! Do you live around here?’ A man in smart suit was coming towards me.
‘Not exactly here…’ I began.
‘Do you know where the restaurant called Waterfront is?’ he asked.
‘Yes.’ I stood up and pointed the opposite direction from where he came. ‘You have to go past the big road. It’s probably another five minutes walk…’
I noticed he was carrying his iPhone face up. ‘Do you have the map?’ I asked, pointing at his phone.
‘No, it’s not working,’ he said, looking cross.
I reached into my bag and pulled out the tattered cycle map that I always carry.
‘We’re here,’ I said. ‘You need to cross Queensbridge and go halfway up the block towards Princes Bridge…’
‘Ah!’ He saw immediately. ‘Thanks!’
He rushed off to his companion, calling, ‘Keep going that way!’
I folded up my map and put it back in my bag.
I was having a quick lunch at a Chinese restaurant and spotted this sign near the buffet section.
It was night time when I came home yesterday. The ground was wet with rain.
I spotted two snails halfway across the garden path, one behind the other. They were moving to a grassy patch.
Carefully, I stepped over them. Then another step later… ** CRISP ** As soon as I heard the light crunch, I jerked my foot back.
Oh no! I had stepped on another snail and crushed its shell. Even worse, it was still moving.
I rushed home and almost cried. The poor snail! Naked and homeless. Would it survive? Can it survive?
A few minutes later, I thought of going back outside to euthanise it but didn’t.
This morning, I found its shrivelled body next to broken bits of shell.
Damjan and I were walking home after dinner on Monday. It was 10pm and still hot from a 40°C day. At City Square, we found a small knot of children in front of the fountain. They were pushing leaves through the water to make shapes — words, a love heart.
Damjan wanted to do his name so I collected up some leaves for him. Then it was my turn.
Walking home from work the next day, there were still people at the fountain, making shapes with leaves. There are now more shapes and names. I think we got in early on this Melbourne meme. I wonder how long it will last?
Carlo took us to Costco. We wanted to buy tennis balls.
We came by public transport, carrying our biggest backpacks. We left with lots of stuff (including 30 packs of chewing gum). We didn’t get tennis balls, though, because they came only in packs of 48.
Here are some things I saw.
I was walking to the Monash University engineering department when this shocking sight confronted me.
Oh no! Someone spilled a rubbish bin and it’s going everywhere! …Hey, wait a second… The bin is half buried in the ground.
Yep, it’s an art installation.
I found a bat dead on the nature strip when walking home one night. It was as big as a good sized melon.
