Sunday, February 9, 2014

how did crabs first come to Australia?




The answer, of course, is on crutches.

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It is only by sheer co-incidence that TO brought these critters inside after I had looked at Andrew's Sunday Selections where I learned that Prince Henry's Hospital closed in 1991.



There was some point to the application of WD40 to rusty nuts and subsequent adjustment of crutch height – TO wished to demonstrate what is required for the proper use of crutches. There was even some point to the demonstration but, yawn, let's move on to something far more interesting [as if it were possible].

No, your first impression is not correct. TO is not a compulsive hoarder – she simply likes reminders of momentous events in her life. These crutches were used by her good self shortly after the great car crash of 1964. She assures me that she did not keep this particular pair of crutches as souvenirs, nor did she keep them because she believed they might come in handy one day; sometimes she just "forgets" to return things.

In any case, I must admit that of all the crap in all the sheds in all the backyards in Australia, this little pair of crutches has been useful. They've been loaned and returned many times over in the ten years I have been sharing my life with TO and her crap.

Australia was, until quite recently in its post-colonial history, a country made financially strong by primary industry. Melbourne, however, has long been rightly proud of its aptitude for secondary industry. 
How much of that manufacturing output, I wonder, has consisted of wooden crutches? I do believe demand might have been very high from, say, the beginning of the 20th Century and for quite some decades after.





10 comments:

  1. a shocking joke. Every time I read about hospital budget problems I think of all their equipment loan slack management. If it was all returned there would be surplus budget.

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    1. My initial reaction was that I should delete this post because I would hate - while trying to be amusing - to create the impression that TO is a thief at heart. I certainly did not consult her before making my comment about her "forgetting to return" things, or bother to ask if there was some explanation other than theft. She could have bought them for all I know. If anyone deserves blame, perhaps it's me because I am the one who was prepared to laugh at the idea.

      However, I'm leaving the post here because you have a valid point about people taking things from various organisations, and your point deserves airspace.

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  2. Good joke. I was out at a hotel with a friend who was using a crutch. He wanted to go on elsewhere and asked if I could look after it for him. I put it in the car boot and it stayed there for a few years. Then I moved it to my wardrobe, but eventually threw it out. I think it came from The Alfred. I should have returned when he clearly did not want it anymore.

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    1. So, Andrew, you will happily look after someone's crutch for them, but only til you become tired of it?

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  3. Hi there FC, how are you doing? The first thing I thought when I clicked over was oh no, you've broken your leg, ankle, whatever :) I'm not sure if they even use those old wooden crutches anymore do they, probably had a massive bonfire a while back and TO has actually saved a piece of history albeit unknowingly :) Hope all is well in your part of the world.

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    1. Grace, I think the trend nowadays is that people must by their own doo-dahs for this and that. What with limbless soldiers returning from WWI and with polio epidemics, wooden crutches were everywhere once upon a time.
      It astonishes me sometimes what various organisations throw away when technology or styles change. Last year I rang several second hand office furniture traders saying we had metal filing cabinets etc for free if someone wanted to pick them up - no takers.
      My own theory is that if someone with more authority than myself wants to throw perfectly good items away, I can help myself. The bonfire theory sounds very reasonable.

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  4. That's funny FC -- what you said to Andrew. Ah well, I think the hospitals will survive a missing pair of crutches.

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    1. Rubye, Andrew is [if you'll pardon the expression] one of the world's greatest straight-men - he sets up lots of good lines for me!

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  5. I like the way you can write an amusing article about an old pair of crutches. I think you might be able to give them to a museum to get rid of them. These days you have to hire them and pay a returnable deposit for them.

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    1. Diane, perhaps we belong to a mutual admiration society? Your own astonishing collection of photographs and the story of your life make for a fascinating, living history. [Not that I would suggest you are a museum piece...

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