The quiet life of a retired gentleman

Friday:

My fifth visit to the new Melbourne State Library station saw me finally work out how to get out and in without accidently going into the god awful Melbourne Central Station shopping centre. 

I bought a couple of things in the much more civilised QV shopping centre, and then walked down to Bourke Street, caught a tram one stop to Elizabeth Street and made my way up the steep hill to Corner and Bench for a chicken and coleslaw slider, and coffee of course. Gosh, I was a bit whacked, with the temperature at about 30/90.

I walked on to William Street to catch a 58 tram home, with a big gap between trams, and a friend from the country called. He was at Anzac Station and would I care to meet for coffee. He was outside my building when I arrived home, met Phyllis and Kosov and then assisted as P & K dragged and carried the old dishwasher down to the car and got it into the back of the car. Don't accelerate quickly Phyllis, or it will smash the back window. 

I took my friend across the road for coffee, which extended to an hour. Kosov messaged me to say the job was done. He called to ask if they could take the car to a shop, then Phyllis called to ask the same. Where, I asked where. Somewhere on the route 57 tram line. My friend found these messages and calls all highly amusing. They returned home after making the car back to normal, with a 12kg/26lb watermelon, plus a quarter of a watermelon, maybe 3kg. 

I heard a noise something like a key turning in the door lock. It happens when someone gets the wrong apartment number, or is trying to rob us. It was Jass, out on the landing scratching at the door. A neighbour had put a bowl of water and a bowl of food for her next to the door. She had slipped through someone's legs, not mine, and gotten out for what must have no longer than twenty minutes. I left a thank you note and quickly after, the bowls were gone when I went out again at 6.30 for dinner, with a note explaining that the person was concerned because of the heat, and their cat had once done the same. I think it was our neighbour to the front. 

I had to miss the building's Christmas barbeque because I had been invited out by my former workmate for dinner at Victoria's Swiss Club restaurant, Edelweiss. (Insert Mary Schneider yodelling clip) The meal was fine and the staff great. My friend had dined there before and was remembered by the delicious German waiter Michel. He was very sweet indeed and a right charmer. 

I could not believe how busy the city was, busier than daytime, I think,  heaving with people out on the warm night. All dining venues seemed packed and no doubt the hidden laneway bars were booming too. 

So, it is rather nice to be a retired gentleman with time to read Proust and Dostoevsky... maybe I'll make a start tomorrow. 

Did Jass think the old dishwasher should stay?