Red Ball
Originally uploaded by hamishi.
It was a bloody hot day on Saturday, but the conditions were perfect for Chicago's AFL "Great Aussie BBQ" on the lakefront. I had offered to help cook but (fortunately) that wasn't required as we had a lot of volunteer chefs turn up on the day.
So I was put in charge of alphabetising the condiments. Ketchup. Mustard. Napkins. It was a genius display by the time I was done, but some kid screwed with the symmetry of it and so I gave up and sold raffle tickets instead.
The American girls were very impressed with the footy boys, though I don't think they initially realised that there were more American boys on the team that native Aussies. Whatever. One of the girls even remarked to me, "Ooooh Gab, they take their tops off after every quarter. I love this game!". Quite right. And I was issued strict instructions to widely promote the next big game so that the girls can resume their spectator positions, right up front.
Schmoozing around the field on the day, it was fun to meet members of Chicago's Aussie community, some long-time residents and others fresh off the boat. I got to catch up with some old friends too, and P even told me that my new pink bucket hat was very reminiscent of Ladies Day at the Races. He imagined me dashing across the pitch towards the porta-loos, shrieking like a big girl. Shame - I used to like that hat too.
But after a day in the blasting sun, a cold beer was in order and we got plenty of them at Messner's on Southport, that has been a long-time sponsor of the AFL team (not to mention a long-time great place to get a coldie). And at 2am, I decided it was time to call it a night and I went home to bed.
2 comments:
Ahhh, just like home .... if not the footy then the cricket... Adelaide Oval, The Hill under the scoreboard, Pancho Villa hats, cold beer in plastic cups, scoring the chicky babes, and ducking the left-hook from the Bride .... c'mon Summer.
It's only cricket at Adelaide Oval if you can shout out "You fat b*stard You fat b*stard You ate all the pie!"
haha
And what a little punk for messing up your alphabetised condiments! Did you throw a sauce bottle at him as he walked away hoping it would hit him in the back of the head? And when he turned around you could look up at the sky and whistle.....
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