Fremantlebiz - Paul's Letter from Australia

The Flea market in March

Being a fine temperate Sunday morning I decided to visit the local flea market. Would I be able to repeat last weeks excitement with finding another colourful pottery tribute from Urbino? The short answer is that I didn't. The flea market sellers were mostly comprised of 'professionals' trying to flog the same scungy stuff some of them have been hanging on to for years.

Nevertheless, I did find a few CDs. Playing in the background at the moment is David Bowie's The rise and the fall of Ziggy Stardust and the spiders from Mars. This is a very famous 1972 album. One of the 'all time greats.' It even has its own Wikipedia entry.

The CD is of course a re-release - 1990 according to the fine print. In the bolder print are the instructions, "To be played at maximum volume." So if any fan from the good old days who now has hearing problems they might be able to sue David Bowie. The CD and artwork is in perfect condition, but as with a lot of my CD bargains I had to replace the plastic case. I paid two bucks.

Another bargain representing the same era was a 2 CD set titled, Elton John's greatest hits 1970-2002. His picture shows he was slim and debonair in those days. Not like now. I suppose he reckons old age is a bitch. I paid three bucks for the set of '34 massive hits.' Funny thing is I never bought one of them when they were hits. See, it does pay to wait. I particularly like "Rocket Man." Who doesn't?

The third fleamarket CD grab was another two disk set - Edith Piaf, Paris Mediterranée. This also changed owners for three bucks. As the man gave me my change he revealed that he knew me through his friendship with a long deceased cousin. He told me some juicy bits of family history on that side of the extended family I didn't know. Some people have phenomenal memories

I bought two books as well. The first was a 34 page effort by the State Library of New South Wales titled Matthew Flinders, the ultimate voyage. Fifty cents seemed cheap enough for the nicely illustrated exhibition catalogue.

The other book was more substantial, a bit like it's subject, the recently retired federal politician Kim Beazley junior. Yes, it's a 1998 biography, titled simply, Beazley. It's as if there were no others of note by that name. The author was Peter FitzSimons.

The last sentence reads, "Whether it is to be his fate to become the leader of that nation (Australia) is less in the lap of the gods than in the hands of the Australian people, and that part of his story remains to be written."

Both Mr Beazley and Mr FitzSimons might be distressed to learn that the flea market value of their efforts was worth only $1.50. The Australian peoples have spoken. It's indeed a cruel world.

© MMVIII Paul R. Weaver.

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Check out each month's subject index on the Calendar Page for my "common-man" monologues about survival in 21st century Australia – plus a little history occasionally. An original essay is added most days as part of an undertaking to write at least couple of million words. Zzzzzzzz!