Once, a while ago now, I went on one of those 'school camps'. You know them- you go off, bond with your classmates and give your parents a break, while getting a taste of what must have inspired 'Lord of the Flies'. This particular camp was run by a rather interesting man of polish decent, who took us fossicing for fools gold. It remains one of he great symbolic moments of my life. I remember especially being told not to disturb the lichen onthe rocks, because they were like the rock's hair. If that makes sence.
Anyway, when I'm outside in any sembelence of light, I tend to either squint or, more commonly, close my right eye. It's how I remember which eye Jabari has. I don't know if it's because my left eye has better vision or what... Anyway, I was walking around the 'goldfield' with some wierd pop-eye thing going on, and the camp owner picked up on this. He then proceded to tell me a short fabel in polish, which I don't speak, and was then kind enough to translate for me. It was about a bird who would always walk around with one eye closed. When he was asked to open that eye, he would close the other. He did this because he who wished to live in peace must always keep one eye closed.

I've probably told that story before, but I was reminded of it today while up at Monarto. The same rocks, covered in the same lichen, graced the pathway of our walk, and triggered that memory. Mind you, the place itself triggers many memories.

My Aunt used to live in the monarto area, so I'd go up there for a week or so of my holidays. I loved it, ven though I spent the whole time paranoid about spiders. Every so often we'd take the horses out or walk the distance to the monarto zoo, which was quite substantial concidering they were practically neighbors. There aren't many other houses around out there. Either way, my aunts best friend lived there, and she had twin sons about the same age as my cousins. She used to help run the monarto zoo, and I remember swimming in the dam and watching the boys playing super mario brothers in my younger days. I also remember a giraff skull hanging in the tree.
It's come a long way since then. I don't recognise anything from my child hood there, much the same way as the train station I'd go pigeon hunting on is now gone, and there's now a freekin huge Big W warehouse out in the middle of the field.

The colclusion to this story? My father is now engaged to the old owner (my aunt's friend), and the twins are set to become my step-brothers. I like her ^_^

Things change, places change, even those you wish never wood. The place I lived the longest has changed drastically, from colour to the roses out the front. My parent's first home has changed. My grandmothers old home has changed drastically, and not for the better. Even at this age, I'm saddened by such changes- seeing my childhood paradise become a commercial development, my mothers home become a dope-growing opperation, all that. However, I can't help but feel rather pleased by what's happened to the Monarto zoo. So I guess not all change is bad.

"Though lovers be lost love shall not; And death shall have no dominion. "
~Dylan Thomas

- posted by Washi @ 9:43 pm