Macks Corner #1
I was born in Palmerston 8:10 am January 28th 1949, old eh?
According to mum I adored the two cocker spaniels we had
and would go under the house to play with them much to her
consternation as soon as I could crawl.
At 9 months of age I put an arm over each dog and took off
down the railway tracks. Next thing theres a major search,
baby hunt going on. They found me a mile down the track
asleep by a rock with the two dogs.
This has sort of defined my life going on adventures with careless
disregard, with no thought re: the dangers nor impediments “It just
seems like the right thing to do".
Mum separated from dad who in my view was stuffed by WW2
Mum and I wound up with a lovely Maori family in Whanganui. I was
taken to a meeting house and scared stupid by the threat 'the carvings
would come get me if I misbehaved'. My little friend another Charlie got
drowned one day when we were playing. I was devastated and sat with
him for ages claiming he was just asleep and would wake up and want to
play any second.
There was a corrugated iron water tank on the rugby field with both top
and bottom missing. Us kids used to get in it and run like mad rolling
across the field laughing our heads off; until I fell over went round
and round on the way out cutting my leg open from ankle to knee. My
Maoris 'Granma' chewed grass and put it in the cut to stop the bleeding
etc., until I got to hospital where they had these cards I had to smell
(chloroform). Don’t know why we left Whanganui.
I ended up in a home in Lawrence for 5 years. I loved the trips to the
river but got in a whole heap of shit with my mate Charlie. Throwing
a slipper at each other, the mongrel ducked and it broke a dining room
window. First time getting Ma Bells cane.
Next thing I lost my sunhat, Charlie had actually thrown it atop the
cupboards in the Laundry but we couldn’t remember, so "No food for us!"
sez Ma Bell.
Was kinda funny as the other kids were having fried bread for tea;
Charlie and me were in the garden scoffing strawberries and sweetcorn
laughing our heads off at the poor sods. More caning.
Then there was the day in the chookhouse we watched this chook for
what appeared ages awaiting her 'laying an egg'. Eventually good chook
that she was she did and we commenced trying to cook it over a candle
amongst all the straw.
Nek minute; the fire brigades there. Charlie and I of course were under
the house (we are about 5 or 6yrs old at this time). They of course
couldn’t get in, and no way were we coming out despite the cop trying to
bribe us with ice-cream.
At 8 this man came and picked me up, Granma said he was my new dad
and when I get to Christchurch I'm introduced to this we bundle im told
is my new sister?
Donald (Mack) McIntosh [The GodFather of NZ Hemp]
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