I REMEMBER WHEN... ... ......

By Shirley Rowe.

"I remember when". How many times T've heard that phrase. It began an historical trip

down memory lane for one and all of my wonderful older relatives I was fortunate

enough to grow up amongst. How I love them, but they are all gone. I wish I had listened

when 1 heard, "I remember when". I lost so much by not being interested.

1 made myself a promise, when I grow up I would never utter that phrase. Haw old it

made the speaker seem. I would never bore anyone with it, unfortunately, I do. It is now

my turn. I use the phrase "I remember when", sometimes when talking to my children.

Oh, no, did I really say that? Am I really that old? Worse, I hear myself say "I remember

when" to my grandchildren and I groan. Once again I have broken my promise. It seems

the page turns but everything remains the same.

Anyway, how could they not be interested in the wonderful night that the neon lights

were switched on ending Melbourne's WW2 Brownout. I was there. I remember.

Would they be interested in my shopping expeditions on my own, because my brother

died unexpectedly and mum was ill. I cut out the Ration Coupons for our tea, sugar and

butter and went to the market. I was six.

Would they realize how much trust there used to be? Our front door was left open and

money left on the kitchen table for the baker or iceman. Do they want to know there was

a sly grog near us and in the lane behind, an SP bookie, they wouldn't know what they

were anyway. But I knew.

One shilling, "Nanna, what's that, we are not in the Dark Ages" anyway, they are going

to hear this. One shilling was all it took Saturday arvo at the Grand Theatre, cartoons,

serials (cliff hangers) and a film. Sixpence to get in and sixpence bought a Murray's

Creamy Toffee that would last the afternoon. "What's sixpence."

They would not want to know, but I will still tell them "I remember when" petrol was

rationed and we camped, on the banks of the Yarra River at Warrandyte, and drank the

water from the Yarra. How easy to forget a promise to oneself but not a memory.

I remember when it was Bonfire night. All the kids gathered branches and wood for

weeks and set it up on the vacant paddock. Fireworks, penny hungers and rockets with

bottles as launching pads. Magic, watching them streak up and cascade in colourful stars

I have missed this one for my grandchildren, but I could make a guess at their query.

Who was Guy Fawkes anyway? What! a 17~' Century dude. Burning his effigy at the

stake, pagans.

Children, you are making your own memories now. A flicker of memory will travel out

of your yesterday and light up your tomorrow and it will be your turn to say "I remember

when".