Lingering Ghosts of War and Peace by Neil Landers

Author:Neil Landers [Landers, Neil]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Books Unleashed
Published: 2016-04-25T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Life and Work in Wagga

I stayed nearly two and half more years in Wagga and came to like the place. Its older section had tree-lined streets with attractive brick bungalows and pleasant parks. Through much of that meandered a lagoon with grassy banks. Around its fringes curved the Murrumbidgee River, lined with willows dipping into its slow-moving water.

With some difficulty, I adjusted to life without alcohol. I began living again in a pub. It was, however, a homely old one near the Advertiser office, with excellent meals in a comfortable dining room as part of a reasonably-priced weekly deal. I soon found I could drink a soda water or lemon squash in the bar as easily as a beer. In the mornings I would read or go for walks, usually along the lagoon or the river bank.

For the first three months after leaving hospital I went sometimes in the evening to meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous, returning afterwards to work. Wagga had two thriving branches of AA, one mainly for Catholics and the other mainly for Protestants. Most members though would not have admitted that openly since AA was officially non-denominational. Many Wagga residents might have been surprised at how many of the town’s leading residents were then or previous members of AA. Then again, many might not.

I met a lot of excellent people at those gatherings but their hours, during a busy time at work, were inconvenient. Before long I did not feel further need for their support and eventually I stopped going. For the remainder of my time in Wagga, however, I continued to write occasional stories for them in the Advertiser.

At work, usually from 4pm to 12.30, with a break for dinner, I was kept busy. I immersed myself happily in the work and it became the main prop of my existence, replacing alcohol. Our system was for sub-editors to bring out pages individually, working from the centre outwards. Brian Junck, the chief sub-editor, would hand me stories and photos, tell me what pages to put them on, and leave me to it. Only the front page involved all of us.

Our other main task was writing editorials. If Jack Dennis could not think of any about sport, or Brian Junck or another sub any about a national or local topic, I had to write one about what was happening outside Australia. I was thought to have views dangerously liberal or left-wing. Any I wrote, particularly about the Vietnam War, then dividing the nation, were always scrutinised carefully but I rarely caused much offence. On subjects except Vietnam I usually pinched my details and viewpoints from the latest edition of The Economist, a liberal publication but not left-wing.

I continued to work six nights a week, accumulating nights off owing, and spend a week in Sydney or Melbourne. It was a system that suited me well. I enjoyed those breaks and never had any problem with alcohol during them. My only nights off spent in Wagga were on Saturday, when I usually went to Brian Junck’s home for dinner.

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