Today I travelled from Ringwood to Merrimu for work. I stopped by Subway in Melton for lunch. Having ordered and subsequently received my elongated sandwich of choice (and accompanying oversized biscuit), I took a table in the street - much in the manner of a Billy Joel song. Not an old familiar place, as Mr Joel would have you believe - but you and I were certainly face to face. That is, or course, if you happen to an elderly gent with poor dental hygiene and the overpowering aroma of urine!
From my table, I saw just such a gent glance my way, and being good-natured as I am, I proferred a smile and some form of generic greeting.
And lo did said purveyor of stenches most foul approach me, and commence to enlighten me as to the back story of one Ray Neville - a sixteen year old jockey who rode Rimfire to Victory in the 1948 Melbourne Cup at odds of 100 to 1 in a controversial photo finish.
I fear I can do no justice in describing the odour that this minion of the devil himself secreted.
I was stunned by two thoughts - "Why are telling me this? And why do you not remove your pants before you pee?"
Of course, being the good-natured type I've already described myself as being - I kept my thoughts to myself. I also kept my lunch to myself - which proved far more challenging.
If you'd like to know more about Ray Neville's 1948 cup win astride Rimfire, try this link. You never know when information like this may come in handy.
