committed the offence of break and enter of the golf club.
Proof of soil samples found at the crime scene, matched the dirt on the soles of their shoes. Evidence from witnesses who heard them admit the offence; proved circumstantial evidence they were the persons who broke into the golf club and stole property.
This turning point opened doors I could never have imagined. This gave me an instant pathway in criminal investigation procedures which I never thought possible.
Word count: 412
And So It Came To Pass
A friend and I have taken the same numbers for Saturday night lotto since 1982. Over thirty years. To date a prize greater than 4th division hasn’t been won. My friend tells me eventually we will win as long as we don’t give up our dream.
Winning lotto is a dream I’ve had since the game commenced. Dreams of seeing my numbers fall into the tube. Winning lotto would make a difference to my life. Money is important in everyday living. I suspect if my numbers did fall into the tube, the result would be exciting even if the amount wasn’t as much as I desired.
Many times, almost daily, I see my numbers on a Saturday lotto draw fall into the tube. If they did fall, I would accept the result whatever may be the consequences and visualise what I would do with the prizemoney.
Naturally my friend would receive half. With the remainder here is a formula. On numbers similar to the ones my friend and I take, our prize may be $550,000.00; which equates to an 8th of the total $4,000,000.00 from the pool. My share would be $275,000.00 which is nothing to scoff at.
Divided amongst my children and partner; myself gaining the lion’s share of the money, I would end up with $125,000.00 to do with as I wish.
First, I would carry out repairs and renovations to my home and property – build a rear patio; improved roadway; fencing; water connections and painting. After serious consideration I may upgrade my motor vehicle. If I need to get rid of a bit of cash then so be it.
Placing the law of averages in their rightful place, together with Murphy’s Law; whatever will happen – will happen; our numbers could fall in any Saturday draw of lotto. The longer we take these same numbers; gives us a better chance of winning.
It’s exciting to think of what may happen? We have no control of the outcome, but you’ve got to be in it to win it. And so it came to pass I continue to take lotto to fulfil my dream of seeing my numbers fall down the tube.
When this event happens, I must share with you how happy I would be and more important to share my winnings with my friend and family members. In the meantime I will never give up hope of winning.
I’m a good person and I feel luck will be with me to win Saturday night lotto at sometime in the future.
Word count: 431
Déjà Vu
At ten years old, my first memory of visiting Charleville, a country town seven hundred and fifty-eight kilometres west from Brisbane, seeing a particular type of scrub which grew in small bushes across the landscape; mixed with red coloured soil similar to a desert; flat land as far as the eye could see. My grandparents lived in the town at the time.
On arriving at Charleville by train, my grandparents met me at the railway station. In those times steam engine puffed smoke sending fragments of coal into the carriages. Most passengers, including myself endured blackness around their eyes and mouth.
As I stepped from the carriage onto the platform, a sense of déjà vu encompassed by mind – knowing I’d been on the platform before. This mind set left me when I noticed my grandparents approach and gave me a warm welcome.
A decade later I returned to Charleville, again by train however this time a more modern one since the bygone days of steam. When I stepped from the train and stood on the platform, suddenly my mind returned to a different period to experience I’d been here before.
This feeling wasn’t anything to do with my previous visit; this visit marked a time when the Railway Station was built in 1888. A certain smell devoured my senses providing a strange odour which I never before experienced.
This is difficult to describe, only I’d sensed a similar odour on this particular platform previously and it wasn’t a decade ago. I’d never smelt this odour anywhere else until this time and place. Visions flashed through my mind of knowing I stood in this exact spot before.
I’m not a sceptic; I do admit at times thinking I have lived on earth in some fashion or another. Perhaps if truth be known, I probably lived in 1888 and had something to do with the building of the Charleville Railway Station? I don’t know.
One thing is for certain, each time I step onto the platform at Charleville Train Station; and I’ve done it many times since I was ten years old, my mind flashes a sense of déjà vu. I’ve visited this place before but have no idea when or why?
Word count: 375
The Antique Vase
Joseph Banks, the botanist, sailed from his motherland with Captain Cook on the ‘Endeavour’ to discover Australia in 1770. Before departing, his father said presenting Joseph with an antique vase, ‘this has been in our family for generation; keep it to hold a specimen’.
When he boarded the ‘Endeavour’ he stored the vase in a safe place to not fracture or break. To hold such a prize presented from his father overwhelmed his feelings of love and devotion.
On arrival at Botany Bay he discovered various specimens of vegetation, caused Joseph to select one particular specimen to place in the antique vase. This selection he named ‘mulga’, an aboriginal name, taken from the scent of the bush surrounding the area.
On his return to his quarters, he placed a branch of ‘mulga’ in the antique vase. His chest swelled with pride and devotion to his family for presenting him with a family treasure.
On their return to the motherland Joseph couldn’t wait to show his father the antique vase; moreso, the branch of ‘mulga’ tree. His father spoke how proud of his son’s discovery.
Joseph Banks continued on other expeditions, not with Captain Cook but in charge of his own ship.
In early 1800 the ship Banks Captained sunk in the middle of the Indian Ocean along with the antique vase and ‘mulga’ branch from Australia; this being the last resting place of the antique vase.
For another century this antique vase sat at the bottom of the Indian Ocean until discovered by a party of men searching for hidden treasure. The antique vase was finally returned to England and eventually to the Banks family.
In 1999 whilst attending a wake for my late mother-in-law, her brother said to me, ‘you are now the rightful owner of the antique vase.’ My look was one of astonishment.
‘What antique vase?’ I asked. His story of how the antique vase had been in the family before the discovery of Australia, together being on the bottom of the Indian Ocean for a century until returned to the family, was a story of amazement and intrigue.
This antique vase now sits gathering dust on top of a cupboard in my home. If only the antique vase could talk, imagine what a story it could tell.
Word count: 387.
All’s Well That Ends Well
On reflection, this year’s events; brings to mind one particular problem I’m pleased to say I overcame. In January I experienced a traffic accident; the first in more than forty-five years.
I stopped to wait for another vehicle to make a right hand turn, my vehicle stationary behind this vehicle. Something told me to look in the rear-a-vision mirror; to my horror another motor vehicle approached at a fast speed.
In my imagination, this vehicle either needed to swerve off the road, in a sudden drop on the side of the roadway or crash into the rear of mine. What a strange feeling to know the vehicle within a few second will smash into the rear of your vehicle.
The other vehicle crashed into the rear of my vehicle caused my vehicle to smash into the vehicle in front. On collision with the other vehicle, my vehicle sandwiched. The driver’s seat, slid forward with the rear section collapsing. I was uninjured. Lucky my vehicle had electric seats.
I w
as more concerned about the driver of the vehicle which crashed into the rear of my vehicle. He appeared uninjured but shocked. His words carried, ‘I’m sorry’ and he started to cry.
My vehicle finished a write-off. I had the vehicle comprehensively insured.
What a surprise I received. Yes, the insurance company did appraise my vehicle. Initially they presented me with a pay-out figure which to me an insult. I immediately gathered sufficient evidence to prove their figures wrong.
After a couple of months of telephone calls; arguing over payments; extra cost of expenses, eventually they paid the amount which I considered was a fair value for my vehicle.
What did I do about another motor vehicle? By chance I visited the wrecking yard where my previous vehicle was housed and saw a vehicle advertised for sale. This was the exact vehicle I needed and I purchased it without going over the budget I’d set to buy another vehicle.
Although I’d experienced a fight on my hand with the insurance company over the true value of my wrote-off vehicle, in the end everything turned out that all’s well that end well. I’m now a happy little vegemite. An important message I learned ‘to never give up’
Word count: 382
Fools Rush In
Fools rush in – I relate to this title. Many a time through my life, I’ve rushed into events because I failed of think of the consequences, only to find when I was half way through suddenly things didn’t turn out the exact way I’d