Wednesday, January 2, 2013

2nd of January, 7.30pm.

We shared a lunchtime table with 3 residents of Nimbin today.

The first was an older woman, lean, brown, with long grey blonde hair and dark bright eyes. On each of her wrinkled cheeks was a fading tattoo of a crescent moon and star. She was dressed in the uniform of a hippie from the 60s, flowing robes, beads and bracelets on each wrist. Incongruously, she was nursing an iced coffee with a blob of ice cream floating in it. She'd lived in Nimbin for more than 20 years.

The second was a younger dark haired woman, just as brown, just as wiry, a little less hippie, a little more perky. She didn't say how long she'd lived in the area but I'd guess not as long as the other 2.

The third was an older man with pale blue eyes and a bushy reddish blonde beard streaked with bright orange. On his head was a green fedora with a chunky silver flower brooch pinned on it. His face was pale, with patches of rosacea and flaky skin. He'd lived in Nimbin for over 40 years.

We talked about change, benevolent dictators, the benefits of hemp, the importance of food to the Chinese, the awful disparity between poor and rich, the pros and cons of having tourists in the area, young ladies in bikinis sitting on bombs, feisty South Korean parliamentary sessions, the problem with religion, the age of mankind, and where to get baby socks for Georgia's sore feet. We talked like there was no tomorrow, not stopping long enough for uncomfortable silences to appear.

After lunch we said, "Goodbye."

"Thank you for sharing your table."

"Thank you for the conversation."

We never introduced ourselves and didn't take a picture. 

The world is full of friends we haven't yet met, and likely never will again.





17 comments:

Rose ~ from Oz said...

Beautifully written Typist, a real moment in time for you both.
"There are those who pass like ships in the night, who meet for a moment only, sail out of sight without a backward glance of regret; but leave a sweet lasting impression"
Author Unknown

Ants!! of course. We've had same probs here with our dogs and ANTS!

georgia little pea said...

Exactly right, MS ROSE. We can't go back.

Looks like it might have been a triple whammy that got our pigdog!

3 doxies said...

Ahhhhhh, just luverly. Funny how we meet people and it feels like we has none them furevers...and some we has none furever and wish we didnt...hehehehe. Oh dat was bad of me...oh well. And then furiends like ya'' dat we will nevers meet but wish we could.

Puddles

georgia little pea said...

Awww. Not bad PUDDS. Honest ;)

3 doxies said...

Just realized my comment was riddled with typos...bwhahahaha. It was suppose to be say KNOWN and not none.
Anyways, thanks fur da comment on my header. Just wanted sumptin' different.

Puddles

georgia little pea said...

Typos? I thought you were just speaking Puddish. I am quite good at understanding that now ;) x

booahboo said...

My silly cow do talk to strangers... even though her momma tells her never to talk to strangers when she was little.

Sometimes... the conversations flow better.. even though there are intervals of quietness :D

Jean said...

What Rose said. (About "beautifully written.." I know nothing about ants!) :)

Jan said...

This has always been our favorite part of traveling and camping, not the sights, but the people. We love to go to local laundromats and places where the locals hang out.

Amy said...

Isn't that the truth! And one of the most wonderful things about traveling is getting to have those cool, insightful experiences where you exchange ideas and points of view without ever exchanging names.

How is poor Georgia doing with her sore feet?

Hugs to you all and happy 2013!

Anonymous said...

This is a lovely post! A poem of a post!

What Remains Now said...

Beautiful.

Barb said...

Well - you ARE doing the mindful writing challenge. Loved reading your descriptions - I could picture your "friends" quite well. Wish I had seen the tattoos - on the cheeks, you say? Hope Pea's feet are OK.

Sage said...

I love those chance encounters with someone you don't know and will never meet again. It's a moment in time you generally won't forget.

georgia little pea said...

Thank you BARB. Yes, on each cheek. To be precise it was a crescent moon with the star above it. Quite large too. Pea's feet are now cocooned in baby socks. You can take a girl out of the city but.... :)

Peggy Frezon said...

So many people close themselves off and don't look at those around them. You are better for having been open. I hope some day I'm sitting on a bench somewhere and you come up and we start talking and all of a sudden we say "Oh! I know you from blogging!"

georgia little pea said...

Hahaha! That would be something, wouldn't it, Peggy? :D