Sunday, February 27, 2011

Christchurch

It's a beautiful Sunday in Christchurch. The sun is shining and there's not much wind. I can see my father on a step-ladder trimming a tree into the shape of a torpedo. It's probably not the best time to be standing on the fifth step of a ladder practicing torpedo topiary. On the radio Murray Deaker is asking people where they were on Tuesday at 12:51pm before asking them what's to be done about the state of New Zealand cricket. Occasionally an Iroquois helicopter flies over and sometimes you hear the odd siren fading into the distance.

Mum and dad just took the Honda to a petrol station in Harewood. There was a sign outside that said petrol purchases were limited to $4.00 with a smiley face at the end. They thought this was a strange amount but decided $4.00 worth of gas was better than none. You had to prepay before pumping and the attendant explained that the petrol ration was actually $40.00. The smiley face was the final zero with a smiley face drawn inside to cheer people up. The extra $36 worth of petrol cheered my parents up no end.

Last Sunday was a beautiful day in Christchurch as well. This time last Sunday I was in Hagley Park setting up for our 2pm matinee of The Complete History of World Rugby Abridged. There were already people there and soon more arrived with their chairs, rugs, small children, small dogs, chilly bins and baskets. They popped their Lindauer corks, cracked open bottles of Marlborough Sav Blanc and sipped Steiny Pure. Crackers were covered with cheese and faces were covered with sunscreen. Fish and chips were unwrapped while children queued up for Tip Top ice-creams from Bill and his wife who are there every year fundraising for something. We went to the hospital cafe and I got some roast chicken and veges for lunch.

On the Friday night some idiots had tipped over all the port-a-loos, tried to wreck one of the City Council flag stands and done their best to uproot a tree but only succeeded in bending it over. By Sunday more port-a-loos had been delivered, the Christchurch City Council flag was flying high and someone from the gardens had replanted and straightened the tree. The old port-a-loos were still there and now vertical thanks to the combined strength of our two security men but were cordoned off by yellow tape to keep people out for their own safety.

By 2pm there would have been well over 500 people there. It was a glorious sight. They all stood up and sang our revamped Rugby National Anthem with us, laughed as Andie appeared as Buck Shelford's testicle and clapped along with our Village People medley. Many of the younger children seated out to the sides could see behind the set and got more enjoyment out of watching us change costumes. Between shows Rikki and I went to the Dux to grab some salad and watch the start of the New Zealand verses Kenya cricket match. The Dux courtyard was full of people downing pitchers of piss. We didn't stay long because Kenya were scoring at about 1.7 runs an over and returned to the park, grabbed a free Trumpet from Bill and played cricket behind the stage.

That evening another 500 people appeared. It was a cooler night but they were prepared and had plenty of blankets and red wine to get through. The Liquid Velvet coffee van did a roaring trade and it was probably the best show of the season so far. The weather forecast for the next week wasn't great but had been getting better and the final Sunday was looking fine.

Which it is. It's just gone 2pm. Who knows how many people would have come to Hagley Park today. Maybe a 1000? The Crusaders would have played the Hurricanes in Wellington yesterday so plenty of people would be talking about the result with Murray Deaker. The Arts Centre would be filled with people eating souvlakis. The Dux would be filled with people drinking Nor-wester. The Art Gallery would be filled with people looking at art.

The Caledonian Hall where I saw Faith No More for my first ever concert would still be standing.  The flats with their immaculate flower boxes in the ANZ Bank Chambers on the corner of Litchfield and High which I had often admired with envious eyes would still exist. The Cathedral would still have a spire.

And at least 146 people would still be with us.

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