From the Daylesford Writer’s Group
Out damn spot and while we are about it, out damn mosquito. Now there may be some sympathy for mosquitos’ usually violent end. Zapped and trapped or squashed with vigour or snapped up by a frog in their watery territory or simply die. They are in fact quite beautiful, observed as they land. A beautiful structure , light as a fairy, with shimmering wing and jointed legs. A pity they evolved with seeming evil thoughts and a buzz so annoying and threatening to we who are so much bigger, but lack the agility to avoid being squashed and miss so often.
As for spot, usually the plural version, as in a dress for the Melbourne Cup, my first and only visit and maybe the first dress I made. This one in my final year at school , made with such care. Carefully, managing cutting out to make sure large white spots, were evenly spaced at the seems of an A line design. Low neck and short sleeves. And self covered buttons – those needed practice. This was one of those dresses that made its wearer feel a million dollars. This dress was not unlike Twiggy’s though not quite as short, as my school girl figure was certainly not like Twiggy’s. I had my mother in the background, needed to pin up the hem. I dont remember the shoes, most definitly high heels and stroppy sandals would be my choice, I dont like white shoes and never had a pair so probably were lime green. No hat. Pity. My tan would have been real, from studying for final exams on the flat roof of our house against rules at home but my sister and I managed it. We would be unseen lyying in from the edge, on thick towels as the roof was hot, but later given away by the marks left in soft silver coated bitumen of our then modern roof.
I ponder now how did we hide our access by ladder.
The sunburn kept us alert during those final exams, set under the beautiful soaring dome of the Melbourne Exhibition Building. My slight anxiety quelled by the entrance via a then seeming long walk through the tunnel of overhanging old and reassuring English Elms.
No dresses of large white spots these days.
My garden wedding dress of hail spot muslin and a favourite one tiny white spots on black silk, later to be cut down the middle taking in a black lace bra by an emergency nurse with “ sorry darling we have to “ after a spectacular fall ( sober ) through the garden bed onto the concrete path a metre down into next door.
Swatting mosquito’s is still a sorry moment as nowadays an encounter has been seldom, although summer holidays at Wilson Promontory were often and they seemed much bigger. There their outcome was death by fumes of mosquito coils set out by the camp fire. Goodnight was accompanied by zipping up the entrance against a buzzing night time invasion..
Be careful this Summer Swap your mild concern to Mosquitoes inn apparently large numbers and dont forget covid is still with us.
The Daylesford Writers Group is part of Hepburn U3A.
