During construction work at the
Camberwell market someone had dug a hole and left the dirt piled high in one
corner. I noticed it as I bought my
fruit and vegetables; in between the grit and grains of dirt there were tiny
pieces of porcelain, buried for years that people could now reclaim.
Camberwell market someone had dug a hole and left the dirt piled high in one
corner. I noticed it as I bought my
fruit and vegetables; in between the grit and grains of dirt there were tiny
pieces of porcelain, buried for years that people could now reclaim.
I found a small cat, blue and white, a girl, like the pudding dolls from Christmas
time, and a cracked donkey in grey china, each miniature a treasure.
time, and a cracked donkey in grey china, each miniature a treasure.
I dug them out and put them aside on a shelf,
beside the florist.
beside the florist.
My husband distracted me. He was on his own adventure nearby. An archaeologist had planted a sword, not
unlike my father’s army dress sword, in the bottom of another deep hole next to
the market.
unlike my father’s army dress sword, in the bottom of another deep hole next to
the market.
The archeologist planned to cover the
sword in soil to establish the rate of metal degradation over
time. My husband was fascinated. I was not.
sword in soil to establish the rate of metal degradation over
time. My husband was fascinated. I was not.
When I returned to my treasure pile I found it had gone. Someone must have
moved it.
moved it.
I searched all over the market until out on the street I came upon a
truck, whose driver had lifted the last shovel from my beautiful pile of
dirt, poured it into the back of his truck and then drove off.
truck, whose driver had lifted the last shovel from my beautiful pile of
dirt, poured it into the back of his truck and then drove off.
I was furious. Filled with a childish rage of
helplessness. How could they do this and
not only to me? There were others who had started their own collections of
porcelain bits. Others left
disappointed.
helplessness. How could they do this and
not only to me? There were others who had started their own collections of
porcelain bits. Others left
disappointed.
I woke from this dream still angry
and my mind travelled back to my grandson the day before when he and I had explored
the Melbourne museum.
and my mind travelled back to my grandson the day before when he and I had explored
the Melbourne museum.
They keep a few Australian native
birds and fish in a mock forested environment in an outer enclosure there. A ramp enables visitors to walk to eye height with the top of the trees.
birds and fish in a mock forested environment in an outer enclosure there. A ramp enables visitors to walk to eye height with the top of the trees.
There on a lone gum tree we saw a young tawny frogmouth. He was asleep at first but then looked up and
around in our direction.
around in our direction.
‘Why is he angry?’ my grandson
asked.
asked.
‘He’s not angry. He’s just curious,’ a nearby museum assistant said.
Owls have a way of looking angry all the time, those deep set eyes, that high brow.
This owl was not angry but after my dream I was as angry as
any three-year old tricked into thinking her pile of treasure is safe only
to discover someone has taken it away, without even asking.
any three-year old tricked into thinking her pile of treasure is safe only
to discover someone has taken it away, without even asking.