While in town, Padma spent some small change on small goods while I spent even less at Vinnies, buying some non-fiction books, such as Niall Ferguson's "Doom - The Politics of Catastrophe", "Buckley's Chance - The Incredible True Story of William Buckley", "The Dawn of Everything - A New History of Humanity", and one close to my heart, Matthew Benns' "Dirty Money - The True Cost of Australia's Mineral Boom".
And then there was "Players - The Mysterious Identity of William Shakespeare". The price tag on the backcover suggested that someone had once paid $59.95 for it at Berkelouw Books, and either never read it or handled it so carefully that it was still in beautiful mint condition. I simply couldn't resist adding it to my growing pile of $2-books.
To read them all, I have to outlive my even older mate from across the river, Neil, who talked me into wearing the same braces he wears, and also to carry a walking stick he had made for me as a birthday present. What are friends for, if not to make you feel almost as old as they are.
Of course, it's often easier to simply watch a DVD, and so I also picked up "The Corporation". Like the Church, the Monarchy and the Communist Party in other times and places, the Corporation is today's dominant institution, and this two-hour-long documentary tells you all about it.
I plonked down another two dollars for the DVD of another absolute movie masterpiece, "The Third Man". Of course, I already have a copy which I have watched more than once, but this one is to be given away to anyone who shares my love for old movies in black-and-white.
And, yes, we also had lunch at the Soldiers Club, where we chose roast pork with crispy crackling instead of the advertised 'contemporary multicultural dining'. It was another good ending to another good week.
Now let the weekend begin. I am all set for it.
