I never met Patrick White. I would have liked to although a few people I know did. They reckoned he was a bit of a curmudgeon. Read most all of his writings over the years and wrote him a letter.
A bit before he passed on I gave Dinny Barrett a bit of cheek in Alice Springs Court and he fitted me with two weeks in the slammer. That's Patrick, not Dinny, who died. Although Comrade Barrett didn't look too crash hot at the time. The Lindy business might have been getting to him.
I managed to smuggle in 'Flaws in the Glass' and after reading it I wrote him a letter. From memory, it went like this.
DEAR PATRICK,
THIS IS WRITTEN ON THE FLYLEAF OF YOUR BOOK, 'FLAWS IN THE GLASS'. THE SCREWS HERE WON'T GIVE ME ANY PAPER ON ACCOUNT OF NOT BEING HERE LONG ENOUGH.
ON PAGE 73 (?) YOU WROTE THAT YOU AND AUNT OFTEN GAVE MONEY TO CHARITY. YOU DOUBTED THAT IT EVER DID ANY GOOD. WELL, THE $1,000 YOU GAVE TO THE ANTI-BASES COALITION FOR OUR ATTACK ON THE VILE AMERIKAN SPY BASE HERE AT PINE GAP WASN'T WASTED. WITNESS MY WRITING TO YOU FROM HERE.
I AM CROUCHED ON THE TOP BUNK AND A BENT STEEL LOUVRE LETS ENOUGH LIGHT IN FROM THE SPOT LIGHT IN THE EXERCISE YARD TO JUST SEE THE PAPER. IT'S ABOUT MIDNIGHT.
ONE OF MY FIVE ABORIGINAL MATES IN THIS FIVE BY THREE METRE CELL LENT ME HIS BIRO. GOOD TO HAVE TRUSTED FRIENDS, EH? ABOUT 200 OF US WERE ARRESTED.
So I give this letter to the head honcho. Next day I get stepped out on the midday muster and told that the letter wouldn't be posted. Something about it needing a stamp which I wasn't entitled to until next week.
Feel sorry about that. Old Pat might have liked to know his money wasn't wasted.
Maybe he knew anyway.
A bit before he passed on I gave Dinny Barrett a bit of cheek in Alice Springs Court and he fitted me with two weeks in the slammer. That's Patrick, not Dinny, who died. Although Comrade Barrett didn't look too crash hot at the time. The Lindy business might have been getting to him.
I managed to smuggle in 'Flaws in the Glass' and after reading it I wrote him a letter. From memory, it went like this.
DEAR PATRICK,
THIS IS WRITTEN ON THE FLYLEAF OF YOUR BOOK, 'FLAWS IN THE GLASS'. THE SCREWS HERE WON'T GIVE ME ANY PAPER ON ACCOUNT OF NOT BEING HERE LONG ENOUGH.
ON PAGE 73 (?) YOU WROTE THAT YOU AND AUNT OFTEN GAVE MONEY TO CHARITY. YOU DOUBTED THAT IT EVER DID ANY GOOD. WELL, THE $1,000 YOU GAVE TO THE ANTI-BASES COALITION FOR OUR ATTACK ON THE VILE AMERIKAN SPY BASE HERE AT PINE GAP WASN'T WASTED. WITNESS MY WRITING TO YOU FROM HERE.
I AM CROUCHED ON THE TOP BUNK AND A BENT STEEL LOUVRE LETS ENOUGH LIGHT IN FROM THE SPOT LIGHT IN THE EXERCISE YARD TO JUST SEE THE PAPER. IT'S ABOUT MIDNIGHT.
ONE OF MY FIVE ABORIGINAL MATES IN THIS FIVE BY THREE METRE CELL LENT ME HIS BIRO. GOOD TO HAVE TRUSTED FRIENDS, EH? ABOUT 200 OF US WERE ARRESTED.
So I give this letter to the head honcho. Next day I get stepped out on the midday muster and told that the letter wouldn't be posted. Something about it needing a stamp which I wasn't entitled to until next week.
Feel sorry about that. Old Pat might have liked to know his money wasn't wasted.
Maybe he knew anyway.
