Mick

Mick is the aboriginal bloke who lives in our street. The first time I met him he scared the heck out me, knocking on my door. We'd only just moved in. Mark was at work, I had Jared and Cindy at home with me. I don't think he realised that we'd bought the house because it was a private sale, no real estate agent sign ever went up out the front. 

I didn't open the door, I just slid open the kitchen window and asked how I could help. He said, "can you call me a cab?". He must have had this arrangement with the previous owners of our house I presumed. So I did, every week he needed a cab.

Eventually, my fear of Mick went away primarily because Carrots confirmed that he was harmless. I then found myself inviting Mick inside on hot summer mornings or cold frosty days or when it was teeming with rain until his cab came.

Sometimes, I spared him a fare and just invited him to hop in my car as I was on my way to the library for storytime with my kids or some other random in town errand.

Other times I would see him walking halfway down the footpath next to the highway to Horsham with his green shopping bag so I'd pull over and give him a ride into town. And then other times I'd see him lugging a really heavy, green shopping bag on the way back from town, stopping to take shelter from the beating sun and give him a ride home.

Other times I would see him sitting on the warm concrete driveway out the front of his unit, sitting cross legged and just watching the sun set.

He'd always give me a big wave as usually I'd be walking the dog somewhere and I'd walk on over and have a chat.

He was originally from Dimboola from a big, well known clan of aborigines, one of whom now features on the silos out at Sheep Hills.

He spoke about Adam Goodes. He didn't like him. He thought he was arrogant. I found that surprising given all the heat Goodes had been getting in the media at the time.

I haven't seen Mick for a while. I think the pandemic has him locked inside. I really must go check on him. He landed in hospital a couple of years ago with a really bad flu so he would be quite fearful of catching coronavirus.