Oct2013_So what’s been happening?
by Ryle Winn
Remember the bituminous tar that you’d paint on the inside of your water tank to stop leaks … ‘black jack’ it was. One brand was ‘Ironcote’. It had a picture of a cattle trough on it. Sixty years later I still remember the pink one-gallon can
Just a little word of caution if you’re planning on resealing your water tank. Don’t get in the tank on a hot day and try to spread the tar. After four minutes the fumes will make you get out – or pass out. Been there done that.
At least out in the fresh air when you are repairing leaks in the gutter you don’t get light headed. But the trouble with the modern equivalent of black jack is that you’ve got only a minute or two to clean up before it hardens.
Herein lies the recent tale.
‘Dad, how long has that big blob been there on your face?’ Younger son pointed and laughed.
‘What? Where?’
‘That. There. Have a look in the mirror of the ute.’ He laughed some more.
‘…. off.’
Half of my mo was black and the other white. Obviously it had been so for some time.
Now things took a different turn.
Water doesn’t get modern ‘black jack’ off. It just sort of flattens it.
Dishwasher liquid not in the hunt.
Turps won’t either.
Or metho.
RP7 Nope.
Becoming increasingly desperate I toyed with the idea of fly spray. Nah.
Diesel, no go.
By this time the old top lip was a bit battered and a lot chafed.
Petrol – Eureka! Here’s a go. Cruel therapy and sustained agony. And petrol sniffing took on a whole new meaning.
Finally success.
When Karyn arrived home she took one look at me and laughed.
‘What?’ I said.
‘Have you been dyeing your mo?’ ‘Why is one side white and the other one bright orange?’
‘What do you mean?’
The moral of the story is –if you’re a blond and want to be a redhead skid your head along the bitumen. It worked for me.
* Now, while I’ve got you please read on.
Dayboro Scouts Book Fair Bargains Galore More than 8000 titles Scout Hall (Don Kerr Memorial Dve (near football club)
Sat 26th – Sun 27th October 2013 9am – 3pm. See you there. Enquiries Ryle Winn – 3425 1247 – junkyard.dog@bigpond.com
