Gazette October 2022 pg24 Final

KYABRAM TOWN HALL
Writers’ Group
Girgarre Gazette September pg 10
An Outing with Mum
Mum woke us up early one morning, singing Gene Kelly’s Good morning, good morning, it’s a beautiful day, from
one of her favourite movies, Singing in the Rain. She had a surprise for us: she was going to take my sister and me
to the pictures in Melbourne – a new film released on 1 April, 1965, called Mary Poppins. My sister was six and I
was eight.
Mum loved to dress us girls up and we loved it, too. It was very exciting. She rolled our hair in rags the night
before, making it very curly just like Shirley Temple’s. We had beautiful dresses, black patent shoes, and little white
gloves all ready to go. We were full of anticipation as we hopped into the car and drove to the station to wait for
the Melbourne train, a red rattler, as they were affectionately known back then.
Mum held our hands quite firmly as there were many people around wanting to get on, too. The heavy doors
were pushed open with a hard thud and we all climbed into the carriages lined with luxurious leather seats. Mum
sat us right near the windows where we were able to peek out – very comfortable with our little white gloves on.
Lynn’s brand-new hat had a white daisy sticking up the back. The train jolted forward and we were off. The window
sills had dust along them. Of course, we had to skim our fingers across. Oops! Dirty finger on our white gloves. A
frown from Mum – but we weren’t too concerned, as we were so excited.
Travelling to the city was fun – rocking back and forth, whizzing along at high speeds, looking out into the
backyards of the houses at all the clothes hanging on the Hills Hoist clotheslines, as it was back in the 1960s. Then
– factories, railway crossings, bells going, traffic sitting waiting for us, lights flashing on and off. After many stops we
arrived at Flinders Street station. Mum held our hands firmly as we weaved our way through the crowds, climbing
stairs and ramps, and finally arriving out the front under the famous Flinders Street clocks – a meeting place for
generations of Melbournians to this day!
At the corner of Swanston Street and Flinders Street, we stopped at the traffic lights, with people, cars, trams,
buses and trucks and loud noises everywhere. It was a lot to take in. The policeman blew his whistle, the lights
turned green and he waved us across the street. There was a special little shop in Swanston Street that sold little
girls’ shoes and Mum bought us both brand-new slippers. We felt very special. I cannot remember the colours –
back then soft blues, pinks and lemon were very fashionable.
A tram glided past with people lined up ready to come of and others ready to get on. Next was Bourke Street
to Coles cafeteria. Time to have lunch – a pie and chips and a shared chocolate milkshake. Yummy! Across the road
was Myers where our Auntie Thellie used to operate the lifts. She would say what was on every floor as the door
opened. In the girls’ section Mum bought us dressing gowns.
Then Mum took us to see Mary Poppins. My word! We were in awe of the magic on the screen as you can imagine,
especially back then – a very different world. I cannot remember if we got a memento. Mum usually gave us
a little gift each around the theme of the movie. In any case, we were very impressionable. About a week later we
were still so engrossed with the movie, playing in the backyard on our swings, dressed up in our play clothes and
pretending we were Mary Poppins.
Perhaps I suggested to my little sister that she could fly just like Mary Poppins as she had the same hat. I found
an umbrella and she was keen to fly. Remembering our ages, it escapes me now, how she got up on top of the dunny
roof. Maybe I encouraged her. She looked magnificent with her outfit and umbrella and hat and said the magic
words. Then! Off she stepped and we just expected her to lift up in the air like Mary Poppins. But – down with a
thud and a scream she came, hurting herself, quiet badly … so much noise … and me in shock not knowing what to
do. Mum dashed out the back door to all the clamour and drama and blood. Lynn had bitten straight through her
tongue with her teeth.
Oh, what a lesson in reality! It’s not like the pictures. Oh! What a shock! Not supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
at all! Julie Roberts © 2022
Julie is a member of the Kyabram Town Hall Writers’ Group. Members are diverse in interests, ages and backgrounds. This makes for some very
interesting and informative discussion while sharing stories, poetry, and the problems of the writer’s craft. The KTHWs’G has produced a book – Celebrating
Women, a collection of original written works and art from the community. It is for sale at $20 from the Kyabram Town Hall, and online (plus
postage if required) through the writers’ group email address: kyabramwritersgroup@gmail.com