the gorge, the gentleman and goldie

1910 c1910s-30s Bowler hat by Scotts of London and Calhoun's of Canada prv.jpg

As I drive down Ngauranga Gorge on my way to work, I frequently spot an elderly fellow walking down the gorge. It’s unusual to see anyone walking down the gorge but this particular fellow attracts my attention for the way my mind references him.

What’s distinctive about him is his clothing. I swear on most occasions he wears a bowler hat, always a black suit and my mind has concocted a long pounamu earring. He walks with a long walking stick which he holds away from his body.

I’ve associated him with Charles Goldie’s painting of Te_Aho-o-te-Rangi Wharepu called All ‘e Same t’e Pakeha. I can’t copy the image here ‘cos it’s copyrighted and I haven’t asked permission.

It’s an odd sight, though, to see someone like this walking down amongst the cars.

A month later: I saw this fellow at the local supermarket. He was carrying a carved walking stick, has a facail moko and indeed wears a bowler hat but carries a supermarket bag. I almost went up to say ‘hello’. He does look remarkable.

long and across

The Bay looked spiffing in the morning sun as I drove along the beach front having failed (again) to exit the way I entered. Napier is like Hamilton and Christchurch – too many exit and entry points while Wellington has only two by road.

I left early hoping that the rest of the country was still nursing its hangover and drove past billboards alerting me to the Next Big Thing.

This taken from an image in public domain of 2005 billboards in NZ. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:NZ_election_billboards.jpg

The blue billboards assure me I’ll have a Brighter Future. The red ones tell me there’d be No Asset Sales. The green ones tell me I’ll have a Richer Country. The red and white ones tell me the names of the (Maori) candidates. Then there are small green and white ones that tell me to keep NZ clean and green, but they, I suspect, are not advertising any political party…..

So what do I want? Hmmm I don’t want any more asset sales and I do want a brighter future for everyone and I’m also keen on having a richer New Zealand (this last intrigues me it’s not the message I would have thought the Greens would promote but maybe I read it wrong as I drove too fast (yeah right) past the signs and the Tui brewery (!!) as I searched for the Paihiatua Track (which I found!! The Gorge is shut).

Hmmmmm it really is time to slow down and read the signs and make a decision.

Greens – richer in so many ways New Zealand. Was going too fast clearly. Or thinking inside the square.

Does driving improve Quality of Life?

Well yes it does. While it was nice to meet all the shuttle bus drivers….it’s even better to drive alone with stereo volume up really high. BlueMazzie, I discover, has a very very good stereo and the six stacking CD player makes life very pleasant. I’m replaying some of the CDs that young Tim has given me over the years……Of course it’s Antony that I like to sing along to and the Roots of course, but John Legend is cool for a singalong too. (I’ve just realised that PDA stands for Public Display of Affection not some hand held device for receiving messages (what does PDA stands for? Palm…..) So yep it’s pretty good.

It also means that I have more social contact with acquaintances (supermarket, market) and can make movie appointments and get there unaided. I can contemplate the upcoming trip to Hamilton by driving car to airport car park, offer to take Lizzie back to Napier and, as recorded before, I can be the sober driver and take friends who have been sooo good to me about and around. And take young Georgie to the movies (yerch some teenager thing. We’ve agreed not too much shooting and killing). Visit the NewDowse before the great outsider exhibition closed and view the Wallace prize entries.

And I can carry my reusable shopping bags to the supermarket so be a better person. Oops that involves petrol. It’s great that petrol prices have come down just as I start to drive, but I am conscious of the increased environmental cost to my being able to drive. Ah, but like the rest of the country I guess I can just say…..nmp. For a while at least.

Sega sega

as the Greeks say. Or plus lentment if you’re of the French persuasion or slowly slowly for the English and perhaps he iti te haere if you wish.

Third driving lesson.

It’s ok.

I think.

Reflection

(re) Learning to drive is, I discover, an emotional event. Since my father taught me to drive all those years ago, then up and died ten years later, there are latent memories that surface. How he taught me to drive, what he said, the things he explained to me, how it felt – these all become significant. As opposed to my mother (who lived longer) whose approach was more….emotional. These memories surface, I discover, when you try to relearn something that has become a natural way of being for sooo long. I am aware too of all that cognitive dissonance that occurs and the emotional journey; fear, finding a mentor, finding helpful and supportive friends (thanks to those of you who told me you were ‘there’), conquering the fear, moving on. We just keep on learnin’ don’t we?

Dad then

The car?

Pink and grey Vauxhall PA. Column change.

I deleted the image ‘cos I was worried about copyright……you can see Vauxhalls here tho:
Image from http://staging.motorbase.com/vehicle/by-id/1029/

And hello to temporary cripple Marg. Hope the ankle clears up soon….