TA: Port Fairy businessman Michael Steel is well known in the community for his generosity but it got him into a spot of bother this week.
AT: Steely has helped many local groups as head of Bamstone and Bamix Concrete. What happened?
TA: Apparently, one of the concrete trucks needed a bit of maintenance work done and had to come over to Warrnambool. Loyal lieutenant Roger Laycock spoke to Steely and the boss said he would meet Roger in Warrnambool as he had to take his jet ski in for repairs. When they met up Steely said to Roger he would shout lunch down at Kermond’s hamburgers. In the shop, Steely announced they would buy another hamburger for his right-hand man Jack. Then Steely went to put his hand into his pocket.
AT: I think I know where this is going.
TA: You guessed it. Steely had left his wallet back in Port Fairy and needed to pay for three hamburgers. He asked Roger if he had any money but he could only produce a $10 note. The next minute the boys were spotted going through the console and ash tray of Steely’s car trying to scrape together a few coins to pay for the burgers. It was a funny sight seeing the two blokes counting out five, 10 and 20 cent coins to try and come up with the necessary cash. I understand the burgers were very tasty.
AT: Great to hear Warrnambool’s first lady Marg Daffy, wife of former mayor Jack, is now home after an extended spell in hospital. Son Paul said Marg had a stroke early last September and the family feared the worst, but as always Marg has slowly bounced back. After some extensive work with the St John’s rehab unit staff, Marg is now up and about. The only difference is that she now has the new fashion accessory — a walking stick — which will be handy keeping the grandkids and Jack in line. After getting home yesterday Marg will celebrate her 80th birthday tomorrow with family and friends. Tim, I hear your brother Mick is not enjoying the best of health after a stroke during the week.
TA: I raced down to see Mick in hospital with big brother Gerard during the week and Mick has a long, slow recovery ahead. Looks like he’ll be missing from the May Racing Carnival this year, but on the bright side he will be able to do some form for us while he’s laid up. Gerard, Daryl Agnew and the 3WAY FM crew are all pumped up for the start of the Hampden league season, particularly after the league chipped in some extra cash to help off-set the costs of broadcasting.
AT: There’s a whisper that a Hampden league club’s players and officials might have got into a spot of bother in Stawell last weekend when the big gift was on. Apparently things had settled down but the blue started up again when a leading official became involved. Former NBA/Australian and Melbourne Tigers basketballer Chris Anstey cut a figure hard to hide at Russells Creek last Saturday night. The retired international star was quickly approached to help out Sammy Nevill in the ruck but Anstey said it was a long time since he had played footy and he wasn’t terribly keen on a sporting comeback. Creek has a history of associations with basketballers. Last year’s best and fairest is Seahawks captain Nathan Sobey and Seahawks legend Bobby Cunningham pulled on the boots in the past couple of years.
TA: I heard that a couple of blokes who left a Port Fairy watering hole during the week late might have got up to no good with about eight licence plates stolen off cars in the town. That’s been keeping the local constabulary busy this week. You look very pleased with yourself. Any reason?
AT: Very satisified, Tim. Not often you get a free lunch from a solicitor. Fairly new Dwyer Robinson recruit Matty Senia had his first contested case heard during the week and after a quick word to the police involved I jumped on the prosecution. Offered to have a $20 bet with Matty he wouldn’t get up. He took $10 of the offering, the prosecution won and I got a free lunch. Thanks, Matty. Very tasty. Had a steak sandwich at The Cally.
TA: Great to see photographer Aaron Sawall is back on deck at the paper just three weeks after leaving.
AT: I was very interested to see him but he seemed a bit surprised when I asked him for my going-away present money back. There’s been a few coming and goings at the paper of late and it’s impacting on my cash flow. Interesting to note the new Hampden/Warrnambool district investigations officers Sean Halley and Roy Baker are having a baptism of fire with two investigations on the go in the District league under 17s. If the cases go to the tribunal and If the players are found guilty, you would expect a couple of heavy penalties to draw a line in the sand early in the season.
TA: There’s a very sheepish local getting around Port Fairy after he parked his yacht on a reef on Thursday night. Apparently Peter Condon was the first bloke to surf the Griffiths Island break and he knows exactly where the reef is but that didn’t help him. He was coming home under motor power with a few mates when he ran aground. It took about 90 minutes for rescuers to get the damaged boat off the reef. Until next week, hooroo.
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