For Dad. Love Michael.

Ten Things I loved about Lucky. (In No Particular Order).

·       Dad was always there to help me repair all those broken-down cars I had collected. And with endless good humour and patience. I distinctly remember a motor we rebuilt for the Ford Consul. The motor, unfortunately, never had a chance to live up to expectations. All because I then rolled the car.

·       Dad worked at sea on the State Ships as a marine engineer. We would wait for Dad's ship at Robb's Jetty. a boys-own paradise of sights and sounds. After the cargo of cattle was unloaded, we would board the ship between Robb's Jetty and Fremantle. Everything about the ship was really big and I loved exploring all the nooks and crannies. I was particularly fascinated by the anchor chain locker and the propeller shaft. And that on the other side of the hull was the ocean.

·       July 2010 was one of the darkest periods of my life. Kate and I were north of Perth, on the bush block at Wanerie. I'd had a breakdown and was anxious, desperately sad and skeletal. Dad, at the age of 83, drove up to Wanerie, slept on a camp bed with a swag and stayed for three days. He came to look after me, to spend time with me, and support me.

·       Dad was always there in my younger and wilder days as well, bailing me out of trouble with the law on more than one occasion. And he never dumped guilt on me.

·       Whilst I was working in Port Hedland, as a reasonably fresh and not particularly eager mechanical fitter, Dad allowed me, after much grovelling, to borrow his beloved Holden HQ station wagon and trailer to take my 900 Kawasaki from Port Hedland to Carnarvon for repairs. I rewarded his faith in me by abandoning his prized car on the return trip after I hit a kangaroo on the Port Hedland side of Whim Creek late at night. At least the bike was repaired so I was able to complete the journey home.

·       With three weeks to finish on my apprenticeship, Dad talked me out of quitting in order to become a landscape gardener. 

     During yet another period I wanted to throw in my apprenticeship, Dad took me under his wing to work with him at the seafood works in Exmouth. He really did have to intervene fairly frequently to keep me on track.

     When I was working at Port Hedland Hospital as a mechanical fitter, I lived in the Green House at the entrance to the harbour. I would wave to Dad as he worked on the tugs heading out to sea to bring in the iron ore carriers.

    Dad's cautious and sedate driving was legendary within the family. Then came the day he was booked for speeding on Mount's Bay Road. He had failed to notice the 40 kilometres an hour road works sign and was clocked at nearly 70 kilometres an hour. He was almost labelled a hoon driver. That may have been Lucky's only blemish as a driver of sixty years. What a hero!

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·       The last ten days of his life were mostly filled with shared memories and lots of laughter. The best conversation I had with Dad whilst he was in hospital was telling him how much I loved him and that he was the best Dad in the world.