Lord Herbert wrote on Dec 17
th, 2013 at 8:43am:
Today I was on my daily 40 minute cardiac health walk when I came upon a good swivel-type computer chair on castors that had a for FREE notice stuck to it.
When I got home I hopped onto my electric bike and powered over to where the chair was sitting on the nature strip.
Put it on the pillion and strapped it down.
Halfway back the damn thing slipped halfway off and I was buggered. I couldn't get it back on because of the camber of the road, and my bike stand is wobbly.
Just when I was about to give up and leave the chair there for someone else, who should come along but a Pacific Islander couple driving a delivery van.
They smiled ~ I smiled ~ and the rest is history.
The fellow got out of his van ~ loaded the chair into the back, and told me to lead the way home.
He even carried it all the way up the driveway for me...
I've had a few uncomplimentary things to say about Pacific Islanders in the Sydney area due to news reports which feature them in the Top Five Ethnic Crime profiles ~ but when they're good ~ they're VERY good.
Funny you should mention that, Herb.
I lived in Minto (yes, I know) in the mid-1990s, and there was an Islander family living a few doors up from us. Now, this fellow worked as a taxi driver, and whenever we called or hailed a cab, if it was him driving, he would turn the meter off and refuse to accept any money. Down to the Mall or into Parra or wherever, didn't matter. We had a toddler and a newborn at the time and funds were tight even tho I was working, so that was a great bonus to our budget.
They eventually moved as they'd bought their own home, so before they left I went up to his place with a 'thank you' card and a carton of VB for him in appreciation. He was visibly touched by this, and said he'd have done the same for any neighbour, and that's what being neighbours was all about.
I do realise that there are Islanders who are, how shall I say, not so nice. but when they hit the news and everyone's on he 'Islanders = bad' bandwagon, I often think of that neighbour.