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My Free Short Story
We are all unique in our own ways even if we have lived very 'ordinary'lives. I'm sure most of our ancestors did not regard themselves as unique, but just the fact that they lived in a different time makes for fascinating reading. I was born to working class parents in a working class area. My parents, though well respected and kind, were probably not unlike many. I attended public school as an average student and never went beyond that "average" status throughout my life. But, having said that, are'nt we all unique in our own "average" way? Perhaps I'll call this my "average free short story" and let you make up your own mind!  I was born in Australia a little (?) more than 50 years ago, I grew up in Hampton, Victoria. A haven for yuppies now with town houses sprouting like mushrooms. Back then though, absolutely working class. I attended public school until 1968 without achieving any particular distinction. A painfully shy, quiet boy I found solace in music. I joined a band with some friends from school playing bass guitar. No particular distinction there either. We played at parties and basically to anyone that would listen. Our repertoire was blues, blues, blues and Santana. I worked in a number of clerical jobs over the years, until I found some factory work that I thought would make a pleasant change. It was then that I met my wife, Maureen, at the Murray Bridge drive-in theatre in South Australia. Still shy, the date was arranged by my cousin. Boy meets girl, boy likes girl, boy loves girl and the rest is history. Four years after our marriage we had our first daughter, Sarah. At that time I had my own business cleaning homes for wealthy people. I hated it, but the money was good. Daughter number two, Emily, came along eight years later and then Holly and Laura in 1990 and 1991, after we had resettled back to Victoria.After living in the quiet, picturesque town of Cockatoo for 18 years and spending my days working at a food factory, family circumstances changed - my two eldest married and moved to Canada. Three grandchildren later and the momentus decision was made to ...... yeah, you guessed it - move to Canada. So here I am sitting at my laptop in Alberta, Canada. How did I get interested in genealogy? I thought you would never ask. Way back in 1978 we joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), and that was the catalyst for me to dig up my family roots. I very early on caught the family history bug. I recorded my first interview with my Dad's brother in 1980 - my father died in 1978. About 9 months later Uncle Merv passed away. Hence the importance of tapping into those memories before they are lost forever. Computers have always held a fascination for me. I had my first back in the late eighties. It was inevitable that genealogy and computers would get together at some point and 'start a beautiful friendship', because the technology lends itself so effortlessly to the marriage of the two. There you have it, my free short story. You want more? Wait for the memoir!! Can't wait - here's my pedigree chart.
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