LOST AND FOUND IN OLD SYDNEY TOWN

Hello, Editor Des here. I have been in Sydney lately  doing some historical research on Queen Victoria and her husband Albert. However, my trip turned into a real life drama

So here’s what happened. I went into the city  on the bus with my guardian, Pauline Conolly. It was a bit rainy, so  when we got off at Wynyard  Square Pauline put up her brolly. Then a big puff of wind came and suddenly she was gone!!  Yes….JUST LIKE THAT.

Oh my hat!!

I thought she might have blown into one of the  city’s big fig trees, but not a sign of her.

Hellooooo?

It was all a bit worrying. I walked up to Macquarie Street (that’s her favourite  place) and stopped outside Sydney Hospital. It was the first hospital in the whole country, in case you are interested in facts.  Pauline is writing about this building so I peeped inside, just in case. No, a lady told me she hadn’t been there.

Not a soul on the  stairs  inside Sydney Hospital.

There’s a famous old  bronze boar outside the hospital.  It was donated by the daughter of a surgeon called Dr Thomas Fiaschi. You can rub his shiny nose and make a wish.  It was a bit high, but  a kind council man helped me up. I promised the spirits of  very lost people that if I could find my  guardian  I would never misbehave ever again.  I would give up my worst habits, too.

I’d even give up the smokes.

I wish I could find Pauline. She’s not a bad old soul really.

Well the spirits  must have been listening, because a bit further down the road near the big Library I found her card wallet in the gutter.

I knew it was her wallet, because I spotted her  blue Library Friend card. It allows her to enter a lovely place that other people can’t go in. A bit ‘elitist’ Dr Bob says (whatever that means). I’m allowed in sometimes though.

A big clue! Pauline loves the Library.

Would you like to look in the special room?

Coffee please Pauline.

It’s a bit posh in the Friends’ Room

Pauline says  that the old part of the library (called The Mitchell)  not only  has books, but special pillars of wisdom and a lamp of learning.  And do you know what? If you stand  exactly where you can see the lamp shining between the pillars, all the mysteries of life will be revealed.  So that’s what I did.

The magic lamp in the foyer of the Mitchell Library, Sydney.

And then I heard a disembodied voice. It said,  ‘Editor Des…what does Pauline  Conolly like even more than books?’   

Hmmm, she does loves birds, and also my other (slightly kinder) guardian, Dr Bob Conolly.  She probably doesn’t love them more than books though   Oooh,  I know….. COFFEE AND CAKE!

I ran around to the library cafe, and there she was.  Wow, wot a relief.   I’m not putting her photo here though, because this story is far more  about me than her.

Pauline’s passion, coffee and  carrot cake.

Of course there was one sad thing for me to think about; ‘Why didn’t Pauline go back to Wynyard Square to find me??  Any thoughts?

YOU CAN LEAVE ME A COMMENT IN THE BOX BELOW IF YOU LIKE. THEN COMPLETE THE LITTLE SUM AND PRESS ‘SUBMIT’

Goodbye for now. xx