Hi

I went to an interesting discussion this week by three crime writers called “Mean Streets of Melbourne” I think I enjoyed the experience of getting there as much as the actual discussion.

I was late leaving work. Held up by a tenant who was angry about the non-removal of a possum from the roof of his unit. He lives on the 3rd floor and a possum (it seems only one) ventures into the roof cavity some evenings and dances. The possum is such an enthusiastic dancer it wakes up the tenants. The tenants have been unable to come to grips with the thought it could be a privilege to live in the inner city and still having wild life about them. They want it removed. We have been consulting with the Body Corporate since mid March regarding its removal. The wheels in Body Corporate Offices turn very slowly. Meanwhile the possum continues to dance. I have been wary about suggesting the tenants wear earplugs. It could be considered that I am not taking it seriously. If the tenants complain that that was my solution I will be seen as not being professional. Ah….. the rights of the tenants!!. A cherry picker is needed for the job and its arrival has been postponed for various reasons.

The tenant and his feelings about the possum delayed me so it was dark when I parked my car and boarded a tram. It’s strange how we view night and day. At 6.20 the tram rattle across the Yarra River and all the buildings were lit up and sparkling in the water and the trees along St Kilda Road were bright with lights. It was Night. Three months ago the sun would have been out and it would still have been part of the day.

Kerry Greenwood, Shane Maloney and Garry Disher were talking about their books set in Melbourne. I haven’t read Gary Disher but his books appear to be set on the Peninsular and not the Mean Streets of Melbourne. Shane Maloney said when he first started to write he was very careful to be accurate and once he changed a whole scene because he found that sitting at the bar window where his ‘solver of crimes was sitting’ he wouldn’t have been able to view the murder scene as his hero had done. He changed the sequence. Now he would leave it – a sort of "authors license” I suppose. He then said that he got letters from people who pointed out he had got some fact about Melbourne wrong,. I would be one of those people. If someone got a 96 tram and I knew the route I would be irritated to find they got off in the wrong part of to the city. It’s a sudden hurdle you have to cross before you can resume reading.

Of course for people who don’t live here it is the ambience they are soaking up as I would soak up the ambience of a book set in New York or Paris.

Going into the city in the dark was stunning. The lights of the city always hit my senses like a jolt of lightening – yes a jolt of lightening. To me the light show is spectacular and offers a glimpse of some unattainable world – a world of glitter and glamour. During the day it is the shapes against the sky that is the visual feast.

I have checked on the picture framing this week. It seems the frame it is out of stock. I half-heartedly suggested a different one. The framer who pushed this frame said it would only be a couple of weeks and it would be worth waiting for. I do hope so. I have great hopes for this picture.