A recent visit to Melbourne reminded me of the colourful characters that populate Victoria's capital city. Some current health concerns prompted me to make an appointment at at a medical centre located in Victoria Street, Abbotsford. Prior to accessing the clinic I detoured to make use of an adjacent public toilet. As I got nearer, the screaming and groaning sounds emanating from the facility suggested caution, but necessity over-rode apprehension. As my eyes adjusted to the dark surroundings, I observed an Asian man dressed in a white "Buddhist monk" type garment moaning at the urinal. When queries as to his well being went ignored I thought it wisest not to pursue the issue.
My consulting doctor issued a pathology slip, and recommended I get blood tests at a related clinic 800 metres further down Victoria Street. My journey on foot was punctuated by a man who had fallen off his bike on the footpath, and a young woman crying and wandering aimlessly amongst fellow pedestrians. It was not until later that I recognised the proximity to the safe injecting room. Shaken, but undeterred, I navigated my way to the pathology collection centre. The blood collector was a young woman who proceeded to tell me she was looking forward to ending her shift and that she had been unfairly blamed for a number of mistakes recently.
My diminished confidence in people attending to my needs was not restored when I called into an IT shop to ask some questions about Wi-Fi extenders and the like. The young sales attendant was of limited help, and eventually told me he had not used a particular product and suggested I look it up on the Internet.
The next day I attended a musical performance at a suburban hotel. My appreciation of the music was interrupted by a drunken man crashing into me as he weaved his way to the exit, seemingly oblivious to other patrons. Not long after I was tapped on the back by a man who said "Steve?". I told him I was not Steve and he asked "where is Steve?" After I assured him I didn't know Steve, let alone where he was, he offered a self-assessment of his current condition - "so f&**d up I don't know what's going on". Taking a side street short cut to my car an hour or so later I came upon two men staggering back to the pub -- you guessed it.
Driving out of Melbourne the next morning I noticed a travel advertisement for a "Culture trip to The most exciting cities in the world -- ".
