The croquet hoops were set up on the lawn. Miles Davis was playing quietly on the outdoor speakers. There was a tussie-mussie from the garden on the outdoor table, which was set with my great-grandmother's silver and the linen napkins. Then the barbarian arrived, Blokesy Stokes, also known as Andrew, who lives with Janet right around the bend. What, he demanded to know, loudly, was that depressing music? By which he meant: what was that girly music? We needed, he decreed, AC/DC.
He is a generous sort of barbarian. He came bearing gifts. Grinning like a Santa with a twisted sense of humour, he presented Greg with the following: a muscle T-shirt, a packet of fags and, the pièce de résistance, a girly calendar. Once the obligatory adornment of every mechanics' workshop, a girly calendar is seldom seen these days. This one was provided courtesy of a local engineering company. He had told Blokesy that he was sick of bloody landscapes.
Denne historien er fra January 20 - 26 2024-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
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Denne historien er fra January 20 - 26 2024-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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First-world problem
Harrowing tales of migrants attempting to enter the US highlight the political failure to fully tackle the problem.
Applying intelligence to AI
I call it the 'Terminator Effect', based on the premise that thinking machines took over the world.
Nazism rears its head
Smirky Höcke, with his penchant for waving with a suspiciously straight elbow and an open palm, won't get to be boss of either state.
Staying ahead of the game
Will the brave new world of bipartisanship that seems to be on offer with an Infrastructure Commission come to fruition?
Grasping the nettle
Broccoli is horrible. It smells, when being cooked, like cat pee.
Hangry? Eat breakfast
People who don't break their fast first thing in the morning report the least life satisfaction.
Chemical reaction
Nitrates in processed meats are well known to cause harm, but consumed from plant sources, their effect is quite different.
Me and my guitar
Australian guitarist Karin Schaupp sticks to the familiar for her Dunedin concerts.
Time is on my side
Age does not weary some of our much-loved musicians but what keeps them on the road?
The kids are not alright
Nuanced account details how China's blessed generation has been replaced by one consumed by fear and hopelessness.