STORIES
OMR
(One Minute Read)
By
Pat Ritter
© Copyright Pat Ritter - 2015
Published by Pat Ritter.
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Each week in 2011 I attended the Pomona Writers Group. The facilitator asked us to write a story about a topic he chose. These stories less than 500 words are OMR (One Minute Read). I hope you enjoy reading each one.
Norah’s Mistake.
In last year’s Gold Coast Magic Million thoroughbred yearling sales, a filly was purchased for $60,000.00 and won this year’s race worth $1,000,000.00. This is what dreams are made of. How did this happen? Was it a twist of fate on behalf of the purchasers or was it meant to happen? Did God have anything to do with the win?
God has been blamed for many events which have occurred since time began. What about the recent floods in Queensland. Did God order the rain to flood Queensland to make people more resilient? Or was the flood caused by the weather?
According to Christianity, God instructed Norah to build an ark and bring into the ark two of all living creatures? At the time God decided to wipe out mankind from the face of the earth because of great wickedness caused by the people and he wanted to make a fresh start on humanity. Norah followed God’s instructions, built the ark and housed 45,000 animals.
It rain for 40 days and 40 nights. Every living thing on earth was wiped out. After the waters receded, the ark came to rest and waited eight months while the surface on earth dried out.
Finally after an entire year, God invited Noah to come out of the ark. He was pleased with what Noah accomplished and promised he would never again create a flood to destroy earth.
What was the moral of the story? Was Norah blameless and not sinless? Noah pleased God with his whole heart and as a result was an example to his entire generation.
What would have happened if Noah didn’t build the ark and didn’t house 45,000 animals? Do you think God would’ve still gone ahead to rid the earth of all mankind by letting it rain for 40 days and 40 nights? I don’t think so.
There is certainly a deep lesson to be learnt from what Noah did. We’re influenced by other people and particularly the people around us to do what they want? On the other hand do we control our own thoughts and do what we want? This is the lesson.
Now back to the purchase of a horse at the Magic Million Sales. If I had the money to purchase such a horse and race it in the Magic Million Race I think I would name it Noah’s Mistake.
Word count: 401
Chameleon.
When we think about the word Chameleon – I think we all have a little in each of us. Take for example when I was a child. I remember my grandmother’s words of promise to give me my grandfather’s watch when I turned 21 years. Did I receive the watch – no – my elder cousin received it and come to think of it he deserved it because he was the first born. My grandmother needn’t have promised me the watch if she had no intentions of giving it to me in the first place. She certainly changed into a chameleon.
There are a thousand stories in the reservoir of my mind when people have promised me the world and came up with nothing. At the time it hurts to think something had been promised and not delivered. To trust the person on their word without results throws a childhood into disarray and effects the growth into adulthood. People can be cruel or are they changeable like the Chameleon?
When I was 6 years old, my mate Peter lived a couple of houses up the road and regularly visited our home to ride my parent’s pushbikes. There was a black one and a pink one. Peter always rode the black and never at anytime did I refuse him. Time went on and eventually he purchased the black bike from my parents.
One day I went to his house to ride the bikes and when I asked to ride the black one his reply was, ‘no – it’s mine now.’ At the time I didn’t understand or realise what he’d done; however thinking back on the experience I now realise he changed into a chameleon.
Fifty years later Peter contacted me. It was the first time I’d heard from him since our childhood. He wanted to know if I had a year one class photograph. In fact I had such a photograph. His reason for contacting me was because he wanted to know the name of each person in our class.
Over the following weeks I researched archives in Brisbane and discovered the name of each student and sent him the list. He lives in Adelaide.
Later that year I visited him in Adelaide to reacquaint ourselves and to catch up with 50 years. After matching each name to the student in the photograph I asked what his intentions were. I thought perhaps he may want to contact them or have a reunion. Instead his answer was he was going to do nothing more – all he wanted were the name of each student.
Nothing had changed over 50 years. He remained a chameleon and faded into oblivion.
Word count: 446
Train Ride To Remember.
Many years later, as I again stood on the station’s platform with the departing train gathering speed behind me, the memory of that distant day of tears returned.
It was so long ago and to think back now it only seemed like yesterday when my grandmother and I boarded the train from Roma Railway Station to Charleville. It was Sunday evening, the football team Roma Wattles defeated Charleville at the local football grounds.
At 18 years of age Arthur Beetson, who was to go on and become one of the greatest Australian representatives in Rugby League’s history, captained the Roma Wattles side. His toughness and speed with the natural talent of a footballer won him the best and fairness player for the match.
Charleville footballers were made up from all walks of life; shearers, policemen, council workers, and any other young male wanting to represent their town. They were proud to be playing for Charleville.
In those days steam trains were the major form of transport between both country towns. Each railway carriage was separated from one another with every seat occupied. They seated up to one hundred and fifty passengers. In our carriage we sat nearest the aisle almost in the centre. Players celebrated their loss by drinking beer. There never appeared to be an end to it. My grandmother hated anyone who drank beer and I suppose it was her reason for not liking my father.
More the players drank beer, the more they shouted and sang, some happy others saddened by their loss. Their voices out doing one another until the only sound heard were a loud roar from drunken footballers.
A fight broke out between two of them, each punching at one another’s faces. They rolled into the aisle falling onto the floor beside where my grandmother and I sat. We couldn’t do anything but hold onto one another. I held my grandmother tight with both arms wrapped around her shoulders. She began to cry.
I looked into her eyes and saw fear, ‘what are we going to do?’ she whispered. Others began to fall into the aisle and punches thrown at bodies, war cries echoed through the carriage. It was bedlam and out of control.
‘I never wanted to come on this train. I told your father how terrible the footballers played up when drinking. Would he listen – no – he wanted you with me. What should we do?’ Her words forced me closer to her by the threat of bodies forcing their way nearer to us.
If I was superman, no doubt I would have used my powers to stop the fighting instead I hugged my grandmother. What else could a nine year old child
do at the time with tears rolling down his face and his body twisted in fear?
Word count: 473.
Matilda’s Waltz
The title Matilda’s Waltz reminded me of a book I’d read named Matilda’s Last Waltz written by Tamara McKinley.
Before I read this novel I must admit to not reading many novels. It instantly devoured my mind. I couldn’t put it down until I’d finished it. It was a true Australian story of intrigue and storytelling at its best.
The story began in Outback Australian with the major character named Jenny who inherited Churinga Sheep Station after the sudden death of her husband. Prior to his death she had no knowledge her husband owed the sheep station.
With nowhere else to turn she goes to Churinga Station to find a harsh, unforgiving place but with its own quiet beauty. It also had its secrets.
Jenny’s new neighbours seem reluctant to talk about Matilda Thomas, Churinga’s former owner. But the longer Jenny spent on the property, the more she became aware of her predecessor’s lingering presence.
Jenny discovers Matilda’s diaries and finds herself drawn into a tale more shocking than she could possibly have imagined. And the deeper she delved into the past, the more Jenny wondered whether inheriting Churinga was a blessing or a curse.
With twists and turns mixed in the storyline Jenny finally discovers the truth from the word of