“Recent comments on Bex powders (C8) reminded me of my student days, when I opened the newsagent at Campbell Parade, Bondi, at 6am, in the early ’70s,” writes Rob McPaul of Thirroul. “Each morning I had a customer waiting for me, and woe betide if I was even one minute late. His daily order was two Bex powders (we sold them both by the box and individually), two packs of Benson and Hedges and the Telegraph (sorry, Granny). He occasionally left a tip. I wonder how long he survived, with that start to the day.”
For John Mansell of Willoughby, the mention of Bex was a reminder of his first day working in a pharmacy: “Armed with my pharmacy degree, I strode out from the dispensary to help the lady at the counter. She asked, ‘Do you have cotton balls?’”
We’re shifting from the chemist to the butcher (C8) due to Viv Munter’s sawdust memories. “I absolutely remember a sawdust-strewn floor at our local butchers,” says Kate van de Wall of Collaroy Plateau. “The old wives’ tale was that they’d put it in the sausages! But no musk Lifesavers from our butcher, Viv – instead, we acquired a Mintie.” Granny is surprised none of the kids back in the day scored a meat lozenge.
“The grandmother who sewed her finger (C8) brought to mind an incident, from many years ago, at a school where I was teaching,” recalls Ann Clydsdale of Bathurst. “A student in needlework class had had the machine needle run over her finger. The finger (with student attached) was extracted with thread protruding from both sides and, as the school’s first-aider, I was called to attend. The student was remarkably calm, as we waited for the ambulance, but the needlework teacher was the one we had to look after as she was on the verge of fainting.”
“Joining the two Qantas domestic terminals at Mascot will probably see the old grey control tower and observation deck disappear,” laments Peter Lamrock of Berowra. “I remember waving goodbye from the observation deck to a relative travelling to London in a Qantas constellation. It’s surprising that they have lasted this long.”
“Melania must be seething,” reckons Stephanie Edwards of Leichhardt. “Totally outshone by the Princess of Wales in a much more glamorous and tasteful dress, and a tiara and sash as well. Enough to make any FLOTUS green with envy!”
Column8@smh.com.au
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