The Way It Was

I was born in country Victoria in 1955.

As a kid I had plenty of freedom and was glad to be alive.

We lived on a vineyard and watched the seasons pass.

Along with my cousins and other kids in town, we went to primary school,

To get an education and to learn about those that rule.

Dad had an old holden ute, which wasn’t flash, but it got us there.

My brother and I travelled in the back, out in the open air.

It was good fun, in a time, when nobody seemed to care.

We were expected to play footy, tennis and cricket for our little town.

But preferred to go camping and fishing in the river forests that were around.

Dads took their kids out with a rifle, to shoot bunnies and spotlighted foxes out in the night air.

Life was easy-going and we made our own fun and would end up anywhere.

At boy scouts we learned bushcraft skills, teaching us to hunt and live off the land.

At 18 we went to pubs and obtained our car and bike licences, allowing us to get out of hand.

We survived on testosterone and Dutch courage for several years, and lived out on the edge, without any fears.

There were a series of drunken road trips, 21sts and engagement parties, whilst trying to stay alive.

A number of accidents happened and sometimes tattered, most managed to survive.

Time went by and women came along and one by one, the guys played a domesticated song.

They no longer joined in our wild and free days; were under the thumb, went their own ways.

Most of us left town, to find a good job, buy a home and with a growing family, usually stayed.