Sin City

Having worked out that we’d already done much of what Orange has to offer, Ella and I decided we’d make like the locals again today and find out what it would be like to live in a so-called country town.

This morning I drove her out to the adventure playground ten minutes north of the city, which is an amazing little wooden playground funded by various organisations but built entirely by the local community and maintained with a degree of respect I don’t think I’ve ever seen in a park before.

At the playground, almost every mother I met started a conversation with me, including a gypsy woman with eight children (none of whom appeared to have their own teeth), and a woman who was attending a farewell party for a family who are moving to Perth; a family with the same surname as us, which kind of got me thinking they’d opened up a vacancy.

Afterwards, we drove back down to town and signed into the ex-serviceman’s club as guests, where Ella ate half a plate of bangers and mash and wore the rest of it on her clothes. The fact I’d turned up alone with a child sent everyone rallying round, “you know there’s a ramp for your pushchair over there” and “I’ll carry your tray for you”, which I found astonishing.

And when we were queuing at the bar, one of the local woman heard my accent and asked where I was from.

“Oh I know some other people from that part of the UK” she said. “They came out here to work because they were offered jobs and now they’ve got to decide whether to stay here or ship off to Sin City. The minute I heard your accent I knew you must be from near them. I’m Nicole by the way”

The reference to Sin City made me smile because that’s the Melbournians’ term for Sydney. They share a bitter rivalry, as I think I’ve told you before.

And then she started fishing about in her bag and pulled out her business card.

“Look, if you ever do consider living here, and I hope you do because we’d appreciate people with skills like yours, well I can put you in touch with the British people I know – their child’s about the same age as yours. I’m sure they’d help you out, even if it’s jut a chat on the phone to find out what their experience of living in Orange has been. Here’s my number, so call me if you need anything at all”.

“Thanks” I said. “I just wish I’d found you in Sin City. People like you are pretty thin on the ground”.