The Blacksmith’s Daughter by Fay Berry 2013 © - Chapter 32 - 19570510 - Fay Berry

The Blacksmith’s Daughter – Chapter 32

The last week or so before the Conference was a very busy period for me and I spent my time shopping for last-minute purchases. At work, I was still trying to make myself end my relationship with Bob W but not succeeding very well. I attended a “Tin Kettling” with Lew which was a great deal of fun at the Pitt’s place at Beefacres. The Pitts used to own a large piece of land as big as a suburb as it turned out when they sold it. I think it was where the suburb of Windsor Gardens is now located. To get to it you used to have to drive over a Ford and there was a swimming hole there and it was here that the Pitts had a rope hanging from a tree and the kids used to swing from it and dive into the river. They had the most beautiful market gardens there.

The Pitts Senior had a very large house on the property and I remember that I was amazed when I saw Sis Pitt’s kitchen because it had a complete wall of built-in cupboards. I had never seen so many cupboards in my life before. They were very hospitable people and so I guess they needed all those cupboards to hold all the equipment and food they needed to feed the multitudes. There were a number of outhouses and a big billiard room as well. As time went on Beef Acres became surrounded by houses and eventually the council put up their taxes so much that the Pitts could no longer afford to stay there as market gardeners. The Council eventually bought them out and they purchased another property near Keith, I think it was called Bunbury. The whole of the Pitt family moved there and they had to go into a completely different kind of farming which I thought was very sad, because their life at Beef Acres had been an idyllic one and the new farm and location changed everything for the Pitts.

I could barely stand the wait for the conference to come, but in the meantime, there were meetings at Woodville and Adelaide and lots of table tennis and other activities to keep me occupied.

DIARY ENTRIES

19570510 Friday – Today, Bob asked me if I was doing anything Saturday night. I asked him “Why?” but he told me he’d tell me later. About 4.30, he came into my office and told me that his fiance was going to Victor Harbor for the weekend, but he was staying home. He asked me if I would spend time with him on the weekend while she was away. He said it would probably be the only chance he was likely to get to spend time with me alone. I gave him a definite “No.”

At 5.00 pm. he made signs for me to ring him, so I did. He reiterated that he wanted me to go out with him over the weekend, but once again I refused. I gave him a lecture about him being engaged and not free to pursue me, and that our contact would have to end. Then we both hung up.

By that time there was no one else in the office. He came up to my office and stood looking away from me for a while, and then all my resolutions went out the window and I was in his arms again. We were a bit jumpy though, because anyone could have seen us, so I said “Goodbye” to him and he left. I arrived home in a foul temper again, furious with myself. Of course, Mum was worried, wondering what was wrong.

19570510 Friday Received a letter from Anthony Deverson today

19570511 Saturday – This afternoon just before table tennis, I received a phone call from Bob W. wanting to know if I’d changed my mind. I told him I hadn’t. I said goodbye and hung up.

I went to table tennis then and played the first game with Keith Noble. At first I wiped him all over the table, but then we started a game. He won the first game by one point then I won the second. He won the third by one point. It was a good game. Lew Osborne asked me to go to a “Tin Kettling” with him for Marge and Norm Wigzell which was being held at Beef Acres, the Pitt’s property. I said, “Yes.” He picked me up at home and we first of all went to watch Daphne Pollard and Albert Osborne’s wedding at the Temple. There were not very many people there and most of them were non-Christadelphians.

There was a woman sitting in front of me who was flirting outrageously with the man sitting behind her. They were both married with children and were encouraging their respective menagerie to misbehave and were giggling like two-year-olds. How sickening! Rosalie Foster was one of the bridesmaids and it seemed to me she was wearing her, “I don’t care look”. She didn’t look to me as if she was enjoying being in the wedding very much, but she was probably just feeling shy about being in the spotlight.

The Tin Kettling this evening was such fun. We had two 44-gallon drums and a wide assortment of tins to bang on. We crept up to their house which is surrounded by the Pitt’s market gardens, and then we let fly! There were about 40 of the Young People there and we made such a row, enough to “wake the dead.” It was good that there were just market gardens all around the house so we didn’t have to worry about disturbing the neighbors. It was fun. Then we went inside and sat around for a while. Then we all began to chant, “We want supper, we want supper.” We tormented Marge and Norm for a while.

Our Tin Kettling was a surprise to them, of course, and so they didn’t have any supper prepared for us and we could tell they were wondering what they could do to “feed” us. We finally put them out of their misery when we told them that supper was being served over in the big house where Norm’s Mum had prepared it. We all trooped around to Bro and Sis Pitt’s place and all enjoyed a really beautiful supper per favor of the Pitts Senior. The boys played the pianola afterward while a few of the girls talked with Betty Pitt. It was an enjoyable evening. I spent time with Lew in his car when he dropped me home. We talked about baptism and how that is only the start and not the finish. That if we all waited until “we were good enough,” none of us would be baptised. He is going to see Bro. Colquhoun on Sunday and ask him to take him through for baptism.

19570512 Sunday – This morning I wore my suit. It is the first time I have worn it to the Temple. I had my hair set with that new hair spray stuff and it was looking really shiny and nice. We were late, though, and got in with about 30 seconds to spare, making an “entrance” as we did. My seat was still available which was a wonder. Bro Dudley Hicks gave the exhort. He was trying to stir up the ecclesia a little bit. I don’t think he is really “a student” though, but then none of the Adelaidites really are. I think Perce represents a “new generation” of students. Maybe Bro Hicks should go to the Elpis Israel Class. I talked to old Bro Lund afterward, then Jeff came up a bit later and joined in the conversation.

19570513 Monday – It was singing practice this evening and I had my typewriter with me. I rode to the Temple and left it there, then came back in search of a decent shop to buy some lunch. I ended up back in Rundle Street and bought my lunch there, then stopped in Victoria Square to eat it. The singing practice went quite well and we managed to “batter” the song into some sort of shape.

19570514 Tuesday – What an evening! At Eakins, I went into the lounge and put my books on my usual seat and then I found that Lew’s books were in the seat next to mine. I fumed! When will Lew get it into his head that I do not want to sit with him at every meeting? I have told him straight out so many times. I think he thinks he will eventually wear me down. He may be right at that, he is certainly wearing me down! I pointed to his books on the seat and said, “Who’s sitting here?” and he said, “I am.” I just looked at him and he took the hint and removed his books and began looking for another seat. Nancy King and I were then able to sit together. Then the evening began. It was the practice discussion group for the conference on the second and fourth subjects for discussion. It started off quite well, with Des Manser leading. He didn’t do a bad job. I thought to myself that even though I haven’t done any specific study on the two subjects, I still had enough general information to be able to contribute to discussions at the Conference, even without further study, so if I can make the time to do even a bit of study I should be okay.

19570515 Wednesday – When I woke this morning I felt glad of one thing – that Jeff hadn’t been there last night. Lew came to The News at lunchtime today and I punched the Daniel notes for him. Then I told him what I had started to tell him the night before, that through his meddling he had broken the microphone last night and Sister Eakins had been extremely upset about it. Ian Topham was there too, but I didn’t pull any punches and really ticked Lew off. I think he felt pretty miserable about it and I normally wouldn’t have been so hard on him, but I know from experience that it takes an awful lot to penetrate his thick skull and he really needed at least to apologise to Sister Eakins. She allows us to use their house and the garage for the meetings and always provides supper so he should be more considerate of her.

I bought some blouses in the lunch hour, Four of them. I also remembered that I had to pay my bus fare pretty quickly. Have to do it tomorrow.

19570516 Thursday – Nothing much at all today, except I found the perfect salesman in John Martins. I took all the blouses I bought back and asked for a larger size. I also asked to try them on. She gave me an assortment of blouses and then left me to myself in the fitting room. There I decided which ones I wanted without interference, gave them to her and she fixed me up in no time. Just what I like. Bob put his arm around me again today and I removed it. He said, ”Stop it, I love it!” He obviously doesn’t know yet that I mean it, or at least I am TRYING to mean it. He was wearing a new suit today and I asked him what HJ Cooney’s were like, because I was thinking of having a coat made. He said it wasn’t very good but there is a place on Unley Road that was pretty good and….. any time I was thinking of going there he would run me out…

19570517 Friday – After work today, I was talking to Bob and David S. about the exam that they were sitting for that night. Then I went out into the blockroom to get my bike and was just about to wheel it out the door when Bob came into the block room. He took my bike out of my hands and leaned it up against the block shelves then came up and put his arms around my waist. He hugged me for a while, then kissed me. It reminded me terribly of the time David S kissed me in the block room. It was just about the same time and place. One thing was different though, David revolted me, but I’m afraid Bob didn’t. I am so weak when it comes to Bob. I don’t like him anymore, or I’m trying not to, yet I am still letting him kiss me. Maybe he‘s just a bad habit I’ve acquired. I guess I’m just attracted to him physically but not “mentally” anymore. I thought about some of the things we talked about at Eakins class last night. What a hypocrite I am! I’m twice as bad as any of the other girls there and they don’t know what messes I get myself into at work and yet I often criticise them.

19570518 Saturday – I had my hair cut today then tore off to work to beat Mr Briton- Jones by half a second. Very optimistically, I decided to get my work done as soon as possible and then do some work of my own. How funny, At 12 noon I was still working and hadn’t even looked at my own stuff. Bill Golley knocked at the door this morning and came in and very politely inquired about some work. When he had gone, Mr BJ said, “My word, that boy has changed. He knocks on the door when he comes in, gives people titles now, and really works hard.” I was pleased. I’m always scared stiff that Bill’s going to get into some more mischief and get himself his marching orders. Then it would sort of be on my head. Keep it up Billy Boy.

I washed my hair this evening, sorry, afternoon, then dressed for table tennis. Just as I was leaving old Brother Jolley gave me some names and addresses of contacts for Dad. After that short interruption, I left for table tennis. When I arrived, table tennis was in full swing and because of the weather, everyone was inside. All the girls were up one end and all the boys up the other. What an arrangement! I sat and talked to Geraldine Stokes for a while, looked around, and noticed that Master Jeff had deigned to honor us with his presence. I moved up to “the boys’ end” to watch the game between Keith and Des and on the way, I banged into Brian Manser and we sat down together and talked about the Conference. Then Des came up, he had been beaten by Keith and he added his bit to the subject under discussion.

I don’t think Jeff liked sitting with all the boys when some of the other boys, namely Des and Brian were talking to a girl, me. He likes to be the first one to break the ice so he moved up to the other end to talk to Geraldine. Geraldine looked flattered by his condescension. I am being very “bitchy” about Jeff. I should just admit to myself that I do like him and stop pretending to myself that I don’t. I moved out to get a drink and when I came back I asked Des about the letter he said he had received from Merrita Spencer. I was sitting in between Des and Jeff. Then Keith and I had a game. It was a really good one. He won the first game and I won the second. Then in the third, Jeff got up and came over to watch.

The score was 16-15 Keith’s way. Jeff asked who was winning and Keith said he was. Jeff made a disparaging remark about me and my table tennis, and then I sent a sizzling backhand over the net to win that stroke. He said “Woah! I take back what I just said,” but Keith said that he would win the game because he would cut the next stroke which he did, I hit it back, but it missed the end of the table by a whisker and so Keith won! I was so mad at myself because I had let Jeff put me off. I sat down then and Jeff had a game with someone. I was reading “Christendom Astray” for most of Jeff’s game and I only looked up to comment, “What are you losing by Jeff?” and he immediately told me that he didn’t profess to be good at this game. I said, ”That was not what I asked you”, so he grudgingly told me the score. I love making him mad by upsetting his ego a bit. He hates not to be better at something than everyone else.

Brian Wigzell called me over then and I got up and sat next to him. Then I remembered the table upstairs where I played table tennis last year and decided to see if it was still able to be used. I started out the door and Brian asked me where I was going. I said to him, jokingly that he could come too if he liked. He liked. We went upstairs and set the table up with bibles strung along the middle to use as a net. Then we went back to get some bats. As we walked down the aisle he said, ”Let’s practice,” and put his arm around my waist and we strolled down the aisle as if we were getting married. Brian hummed the wedding march.

At the door, we disengaged and went in, got some bats, and walked out again. Lew followed us up to the other table and he watched us as we played. Then Lew left us and went downstairs again. We played for a while and then some of the girls came up and we left after that. When we got back, Jeff started to muck around and in the process, he caught hold of my hand. I said, “Stop playing handies with me, Jeff Berry, not in public anyway.” His reply was, “Would you play “handies” with me if we weren’t in public? Come on now, no if’s or maybe’s, Yes or no?” I grinned at him and said, “Well..let’s say ’praps’.”

Jeff sat talking with Keith Noble for a while, and then he came back and sat next to me. He looked over my shoulder at the book I was reading and put his cheek next to mine so we were sitting there cheek to cheek. Then I said “Having fun, Jeff?” Lew came up and glared at Jeff and asked me to go out and throw a ball with him which I did. Later on, I began throwing a ball with Ken Pascoe and gradually the other boys started coming out as well and we all threw a ball around together. Then it was nearing time to go home. I went inside and got my things together. Jeff said, “How are you getting home?” in a tone of voice that promises “a ride home.”

I told him I had my bike and ever so sweetly I said “Would you like me to donkey you home?” Jeff asked me “Do you have a bike? I assured him that I did. He then said, “Well you’d better make sure,” and then I guessed that he had hidden it! He ran through the door and I followed him. We met at the end of the aisle and he caught me around the waist and we walked the rest of the way with his arms around me. And they say I am a flirt? He is such a flirt!! If I am a flirt, I’m nothing compared to him. He got into a Vanguard after that with Ken Pascoe and another lad. I went on with my search. Brian Wigzell found my bike eventually around the other side of the building. We walked through the Temple and his arm went around my waist again and just by the organ he tried to kiss me, but I joked my way out of that situation.

When I finally got my bike back, I rode home. When I got home, Graham called me and told me that he intended to lend me ten pounds for the conference. Though I don’t like the thought of borrowing from him, I couldn’t say “No,” because he had decided that he wanted to and I didn’t feel like hurting his feelings. I don’t know what to make of Graham. Sometimes he does things for me that show a real love for me, and other times…well? I have just remembered. Mr Bogner came in this morning and I rang Dad about advertising his anchors. He decided to take an advert in the feature and Maynard spoke to Mr B J who told him that he would send a salesman around on Monday to see him to work out the details. After he hung up, I asked him who he intended to send. Bill BJ grinned at me and said “Who else but Lover Boy Bob W.?” Wow, I wonder what Bob will say about that? I wonder if Dad will guess that he is the boy I told him about. I think Bob will have a fit.

19570519 Sunday – Exhortation this morning was given by Bro Lund on Separateness. Jeff had a long conversation with Charles afterward. We picked up the Richardson kids on the way to Sunday School and we also picked up Jeff. Frank Russell was the leader today and Jeff read the resume. I spoke to Robin Mansfield after.

19570520 Monday – This morning Mr Briton-Jones informed Bob W. that he had to visit a Mr O’Connor, and Bob said, “Oh Yes, at 118 Glen Osmond Road Parkide.” “That’s right,” said Mr Briton-Jones. It seems that Bob has already worked out that Mr O’Connor was my Dad.

19570521 Tuesday – Mum came into my bedroom and dragged me into the lounge to start packing, and so with Mum’s help, we got a lot done. The engineering feature with Dad’s advertising was in the News today. Mr Bogner had come and told us that the proofs were very good, but when the first edition came out Dad’s anchors were upside down! I was not impressed. The News had corrected them by last edition and so I only showed Dad the last edition of the paper and so he was happy.

19570522 Wednesday – Joan came to work this morning with a petition form to stop the exploding of the Atomic bomb. She asked me to sign it, but I refused because I didn’t want to be involved in politics. She tried to get Bill Briton-Jones to sign and he refused also, he said, “The only way that this world will have peace is to get a bigger and better bomb than Russia.” Joan was disgusted with both of us. Then in walked Bob W and Mr Walkley and if our discussion had been chaotic before, now it was “mayhem.”

I had my hair cut tonight and then went on to Pa Harris place for my study with him where we discussed “the significance and power of prayer.” I like going to Pa’s place because he is such a unique man and has such wise words. His favorite saying is “The natural things of life will always demonstrate the spiritual,” and then he will go on to show how a normal everyday thing of life has its spiritual counterpart. For example, “our mind is like a sponge. You take a sponge and you immerse it in water and it absorbs the moisture into its numerous cells. Then when you want water, you squeeze it and let just enough water come out as you want it. The same with our mind. If we immerse our mind in God’s “Living Waters” then our minds will absorb it into the cells of our brain, then when we want to speak or write on a certain subject, if we squeeze this cell or that cell, it will allow just the right amount of knowledge to come out as it is needed for the occasion. I told Pa that when I came back from the conference I would visit him and read him extracts from my Diary.

19570523 Thursday – Bob W suggested that I write to him while I am away, but I quickly changed the subject. I ‘ve got to stop myself sooner or later. I’m sure he’ll try to kiss me goodbye too, but I won’t let him, I hope.

19570524 Friday – Joan Schumacher got quite exasperated with me today. I kept coming into her office and fooling around and she said she would be pleased when I was gone. After work, everyone said goodbye to me and as usual Bob Briton-Jones suggested “a visit to the block room.” I declined. Everyone must have heard about David and me and the block room incident. Bob W. hung around after work, pretending to be working, but I knew what he was waiting for.

When Bob Briton-Jones had gone, Bob came in. I said goodbye, picked up my things and walked past him. I wanted to kiss him and I knew he wanted to kiss me too, but just as I was wavering, I found I had walked past him and I was glad. Once refused, the easier it is to refuse next time. He looked awfully disappointed though. I have been searching for photos for this period but can find nothing really. There was a hiatus between the time when my brothers were home and both Maynard and Graham were good photographers and took all the photos. When they left home, It didn’t enter my head to take photos and I don’t think I had a camera anyway, at least I can’t remember having one. So photos are definitely a bit light on for this period.

Joan Wauchope, Ruth Eakins, Charles O’Connor, Joyce Clothier Graham O’Connor, Ken Clothier, ..Thompson

David Wauchope. He was the leader of the young folks during these early years.

Ron Hicks, Elaine Luke, Marg Brown, Rob Hicks

Rob and Rhonda Cheek’s wedding. Alan Cheek and Elaine Luke are first groomsman and bridesmaid.

David and Heather Horgan

Lloyd Turner

Skit at fundraising night for conference, Charles O’Connor (Sir Huon) Ron Hicks (lady Muck) in her tower and her maid

Lady Muck (Ron Hicks), Charles O’Connor (Sir Huon) and Max Kennett (the villain), having morning tea in middle of battle

Lord Huon chokes on his coke, spray coke all over platform (not in script)

Lord Huon wins the battle, reaches the top of the tower and wins the hand of Lady Muck

Maynard O’Connor (my Dad) and Bruce Philp Sydney

Jennifer Phipps

Margaret Brown

Margaret McClean at Morialta Boys Home when a group of us spent a day there with the boys.

Isa Jeffrey and Phyllis Matthews at the Morialta Boys Home

Elspeth Kennet and Rob Hicks

David Russell

Dad’s 50th birthday 1959 Bck Row, Cleon Wigzell, Maynard O’Connor, Ern Wilson, Lucien Wigzell, Lloyd Colliver Ted Smith, middle Row, Arthur Cowie, Bro Foulis, Claude Matthews, Alf Peden, Harry Muggleton, George Brumby, Front Row, Dawn Colliver, Marion Matthews, Gilbert Hollamby, Jean O’Connor