15 July 2011 Volume: 21 Issue: 13 North Korea's ... - Eureka Street

Volume 21 Issue: 1315 July 2011the faint exquisite strings of Havanaiseaccompanying her visions of the afterlife.Ironic greetings from my youngest auntthe last of them, come at Christmasthat crack-patching time for families.She was attracted to blues musiciansbut is alone now, trapped in old age’s web.She stars in family lore for pointinga carving knife at her father’s hearttold him if he tried to thrash herthe way he thrashed those poor ivorieshe’d wish he’d not survived The Somme.She could have included The Blitza loving wife, four sons, dead comrades.500 RummyThey played with two packs, jokers wildbarefooted, sunburnt in the lamplightthis clan by the beach of a turbulent sea.Nobody could shuffle and dealso the father, off the grog, shell-lesswent round in circles, cards flyingsnarling at them to pay attention.One might reach for the discard piletake a chance on a bait-stained handfulthen watch the winner go out with a shout.Caught with your pants down, they’d chortle.©2011 EurekaStreet.com.au 15