June

Until the fery ride to the zoo, I hadn't really engaged a local in a casual conversation. For no particular reason on the ferry to Toranga I sat next to a small elderly woman and struck up a conversation. Her name was June and despite her being well into her 80's, she was sharp and fun to talk to, much like my Grama DeLano. Turns out June was a fifth generation Sydneysider who was descended from one of the convicts who was brought from England to serve his time. Also turns out that this ancestor of June had done his time and become the local constable. In the fifteen minutes it took to cross the harbour to the zoo, June also told her about her two most memorable experiences. One was going to a concert in the Opera House. The other was seeing Queen Elizabeth when she visited in the early 1990's. On both occasions she had to ask permission from her boss to take the day off. Her colleagues told her just to take a "sickie" but June would have nothing to do with such a scam. She told her boss she and a friend had free tickets to a matinee at teh OH and requested the day off to go. He of course obliged and she had a delightful time. The other occurence was similar. Again her colleagues told her to just take the sick day...no one would know the difference if she were among the crowd waiting to see the Queen. Nope. Wouldn't do it. What would happen if she did use a sickie and she ended up on the TV in a random pic with the queen. Well, she got permission and went with the throng of others to see Her Royal Majesty. June is a small woman. She told of fighting the crowds and being in the back of the mob lining the street. She asked a tall policeman which direction teh Queen was going. When he indicated, she headed off in that direction and and edged her way to the front just as the Queen was approaching and greeting those in attendance. And, wouldn't you know it? Someone did snap a pic of the queen right at that moment and there was June, on TV that evening right in the middle of those greeting the Queen of England.

June asked me about the trip Jay and I were taking. She was quite interested in our itinerary and asked if I were keeping a diary. I assured her that I was (didn't try to explain what a blog was) and told her that she was going to be in it. So here you are June. Wish I'd gotten a picture with you.