In another life, I used to write a sports column for about a decade.
At times, local characters would get a mention, and two of those were generous community blokes called ‘Noddy’ and ‘Big Ears’.
They used to give me plenty of content, via the gun club, AFL and frequent episodes in public bars around the Sunshine Coast.
Sadly, Big Ears passed away a number of years ago and I hardly ever see Noddy.
But strangely, just last week, I was behind Noddy in traffic.
He is pretty hard to miss as he drives around the Coast in a Holden ute with a bloody big red stripe down the middle like he should be on the start line at Bathurst.
I rang him and he was telling me he was doing a pool for a mate of his just up the road.
So, we had a chat and I thought nothing more of it apart from the bloody big stripe on his car and what Big Ears would have thought.
That night, like most, my routine is to vacuum the house, do my bird-butler duties, have a shower, then slip on my favourite old runners and take George for a gentle mental health walk, accompanied by a tallie of Coopers.
We have about three different routes but because it was such a nice night, we headed towards the environmental park, which is quite scenic.
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As I am walking along a path access, I suddenly end up ankle deep in water, mud and grass with George looking at me with a “What the …!”.
I actually nearly slipped over, which would have been a real disaster if I dropped my beer in the swamp.
I composed myself, turned my trusty torch on and found myself in a pool of dirty water.
That was puzzling until I saw a hose coming out from under a neighbouring fence.
Guess what?
I am walking past Noddy’s mate’s house.
So, I presumed Noddy was emptying out the old pool in the easiest and probably cheapest possible way (with the only downside being that my old runners were definitely now retired and I needed another shower when I got home).
As I squelched my way back, I must admit I did have a bit of a laugh as there is a thing called karma and the only one happier than Noddy about it would have been Big Ears.
Boys, I think we are even and continue to rest in peace, Don.
Ashley Robinson is chairman of the Sunshine Coast Falcons and Sunshine Coast Thunder Netball, and a lifetime Sunshine Coast resident.
