500 words in 15 minutes, uncorrected, unedited, Surry Hills to Five Ways by train and foot.

1340 on a sunny Sunday and all is not well in Dave World because ‘The Pain’ has returned. I would not mind if it was consistent. All day yesterday, but vanished as soon as I went out, though it hung over me as I set off to meet Josi at the Royal in Five Ways.

How do you write about a trip, any trip? I walked (boring) as fast as I could (even more boring) down to Central, Elizabeth Street, left into ?Cook and Archies St, right into Buckingham St, crossed Devonshire St, always looking right, though it is a one-way street, because cyclists are permitted to go both ways, as fast as they like (boring) I noticed Michael outside the REX but he was talking to a guy in a car so I did not feel so guilty about avoiding him. I did it because I knew I would be late for Josi.

Standing on the escalator down to the Eastern Suburbs line, I could sense the frustration of the guy who wanted to get past the guy who REFUSED to move to the left. We were all lucky as the train waited until we all got down there including the fat guy who would not move to the left. Surprise, surprise, he wanted that train too.

I felt nostalgic getting the train to Edgecliff as it was a Saturday night ritual for me, watching  The Bill 730 to 830, then meeting Bill outside Edgecliff station before we walked up to the Lord Dudley for our four schooners each, never three, never five, except for the one time Bernie came and we each went to double figures trying to keep up with La C.

This was different because I did not walk out to New South Head Road, but went to the eastern exit, which I’d never done with Bill, or did we? I can’t remember, but we used to cut through Victor Trumper Park whereas I just followed a steep street up to ?Ocean Street? Opposite the Goethe Institute, stopping to take a photo for Brigitte, then right, stepping into the road to bypass slow coach walkers, right again at Duddo, into ? Quarry (man) St, Bill and I always look for The Beatles wherever we go.

I was walking hard, getting hot, and every fucking road seemed to go uphill, right, left by the 4 in Hand (have i ever been in there before?) right again, will these fucking roads never end? Just when I think I have reached 5 Ways, there is another road. I stopped to text Josi and she suggested we meet at 7.15, but I still thought ‘I can make it!’

I fucking did, one minute past seven, and went up the steep stairs to the pub – packed with ‘Tahs fans watching the early game, but I got served OK – a VB – and went upstairs, also crowded by OK too. I went out on to the balcony to take a photo and then text Josi again.