My fondest childhood memory ..., page-105

During my third year at the Agricultural College along with my mates, we decided to go into business . We formed a club, had posters printed and hired a hall and band, becoming the promoters of a Rock Cabaret.

An experienced student tapped the beer kegs and acted as the barman, while others served refreshments or manned the door. It was a successful event and we made several hundred dollars profit, even though a group member who was a psychopath and stole much of the profits.

Encouraged by our success, we planned another cabaret in a nearby town, but on that occasion, things went astray. A group of bikies found out about the event and decided to stir up the patrons.

They abused us and hit some, as well as damaging parts of the hall. Our large bouncer did his best but outnumbered, he was unable to stop their rampage.

Some of our business group showed their real character by fleeing the scene, including our thief, leaving the remainder to deal with the problem, and resulting in bruises, loose teeth, and torn clothing.

After someone fired a shotgun outside the hall, the police arrived, ensuring the bikies left. They cost us all of our accumulated profits as we had to pay for repairs to the hall. It was our second and last rock cabaret as we came to understand the consequences of dealing with strangers who were unpredictable.

Throughout our 4 years at the college plenty of practical jokes were carried out. One day we tricked a good-natured student by drafting a letter to inform him his marijuana plant growing under his desk had come to the attention of the leader of the student union.

He needed to come over and discuss the issue or he would be reported to the administration and expelled. We let him suffer for a day, asking him if something was wrong as he appeared subdued. He swallowed the bait and was relieved to find it was a joke, and surprisingly none of us got belted by this friendly but large young man.

On an excursion to the beach I was driving my E J Holden, and while drag racing another group on unfamiliar gravel road, we were confronted with a ninety degree turn.

The leading car entered the corner too fast, and after losing contact with the road, became airborne while dragging a barbed wire fence. They narrowly missed a large pole, and within a second, we entered the intersection. To make matters worse, everything was obscured by a thick cloud of dust raised by the first vehicle.

There was no time to think, and without any idea of our position, I spun the steering wheel to the right and immediately spun the steering wheel back to the left, reversing the position of the car wheels, causing my vehicle to spin a full circle without leaving the road.

Tyres screeched and the engine roared loudly, but my trusty old EJ Holden averted a possible tragedy. The students in the first car avoided serious injuries, but were shaken.

Should our car have repeated the actions, there was the possibility of hitting the pole, most likely resulting in serious injuries or fatalities.