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Sydney Luncheon Table
20 February 2006 Report
Eight sat down to lunch. We were Ted Downer, Stuart Gardiner, Ross Venner, David Brown, Richard Moor, Barry Woods, Bill Main and me, Tony Walker-Powell. The easy conversation flow convinced us that this was one of our better gatherings. So much so that, quite uncharacteristically, the minute-taker did not fall asleep towards the end of the meal. Alas, we are all getting older so that anecdotes we swap these days seem to come more from our doctors than from professional or sporting friends.
It is no secret that India provides the world's most dedicated cricket supporters. I seem to recollect that, at a summit meeting held between the Presidents of India and Pakistan, the conference needed to be adjourned so that the two Presidents could watch the India - Pakistan Test Match. Apart from cricket, India is also the home of a number of followers of 1920's English humour. There exist several P.G Wodehouse Societies. Attending members are required to be not only correctly attired but also use the idiom and accent of that time. I have also heard that there is at least one Billy Bunter Club. I do not know what the silly promoters of Political Correctness in several countries would make of our proud Indians who talk about Bunter (anti-fat prejudice) and "Inky" (the dark-skinned Indian boarder).
Possibly, today's Politically-Correct Commissars could have been the spawn of the spiteful people who abolished the number of free places that The School was able to offer until some thirty years ago. Our group, who benefited from the disparity of the economic background of the pupils, is convinced that our time at the School gave us far more than a first-class academic education. More important than that is the fact that we acquired an easy attitude in our dealings with our fellow men. It seemed that this was evident last Tuesday when the talk was often on such contentious subjects as Intelligent Design: there was not a hint of any adversarial note between people who disagreed on quite fundamental matters. Instead, we argued our respective points while carrying on drinking our excellent Mudgee Shiraz.
The next 4 meetings are on Tuesday 9 May, 15 August, 14 November 2006 and 13 February 2007. Gap year students, backpackers, distressed gentlefolk and others who may be short of a bob in Australia should not be deterred by the thought of an unsought expense; I am sure we can work something out.
A Walker-Powell (1939 - 1950)
bandp@triode.net.au
© Copyright The Old Portmuthian Club 2008. Last updated on 1 March 2006. 
