Anzac Day 09

We awake slowly from sleep in the spare room.Unsure of the time (it’s so dark) I visualise theclock, guesstimate – 4am. I hold my ownprivate dawn Service in my head, still foggyfrom a dreamless night’s sleep.Finally we both answer the call of nature and toour surprise, it’s 7am. So much for an earlystart, but I am thankful of the sleep-in. It’sAnzac Day, and we are in Clunes, a smalltownship south-west of Byron Bay; the welcomesign boasts:

“Welcome to Clunes – proudly retaining Village Life”.

We pick fresh rosemary to pin to our shirts, forRemembrance. It’s the least we can do. A fewcups of tea later, and we walk to the local park around the corner. They are holding their very firstAnzac Day ceremony and we will be there to joinin the spirit of what is to come. Zizi stays behindto cook our breakfast. We each have a job to do.Mine is to witness everything, so I begin to people-watch and take notes in my head.A small crowd are gathered. The old womenoutnumber the old men. In the middle of a roughlymown paddock, stands a short stone monument beside a white flagpole. We stand in the shade of a huge Poinciana tree, gazing upwards I can see the spread of its branches, like a huge leafyumbrella.Various men stand next to the monument, fiddling with a stereo system. There is no band, ordrummer, but to my left there are five or so soldiers; beautifully dressed - on their slouch hats thegolden ‘rising sun’s badges.People chat amongst themselves. Twoschool children - in white and red uniforms– rehearse their speech and mum fusses overher son. “He’ll need a chair, get him achair” until even I turn to her and say with asmile “oh, he’s got young legs, he’ll beright!” but this isn’t enough, and she’s off, ahelicopter mother in full flight, carrying herson in Year 7, a bloody chair so the poorboy can sit down. It must be a weight forhim to hold his piece of paper, and wreath.The sky is magnificently blue and clear; gazing over the far-away hills to the east I can seeforever. Fat trees and knee-deep grass, lush after the recent rains.