~ Growing Without Roots ~

My childhood was amazing and unique. In fact, it ruined my life in many ways. I remember when I was seven, listening to the radio in my parents' room in Australia, eyes closed, lying on the rug with my head on a pillow, the sound of the branches and leaves blowing in the wind outside. I often wonder, is this a dream and am I still in Australia? Will I wake up and be able to do it all differently? Or is this my life and my memories will always be an albatross around my neck?

1955 The Winning Number

Behind our house in Port Arthur, at the back of our yard on the other side of the fence, there was a big drainage ditch. My friends and I would climb our fence and go exploring along the ditch. I don’t think we ever found anything of significance, except a lot of mud and scratches and abrasions. We were really not allowed to go back there because of the polio paranoia.

One day I was running across the yard in a hurry to get in the house because I was covered with mud. As I was about to open the screen door, I thought, “I need a lucky number to protect me from polio”. At that moment, just as the screen door slammed, the number 4 popped into my head and it’s been my number ever since.

In a strange coincidence, my MR Number at the local hospital is: 161644.

4 4 x 4 = 16 16