Some Things Never Change

It was 1972, some 37 years ago that Sheryl and I arrived in Adelaide. Our apartment fourplex was brand new and spic and span. I guess some things do change as it now looks tattered and torn and worse for the wear of the last 37 years. Come to think of it, so do we.
Adelaide looks the same but seems MUCH busier. We took in their Christmas parade which always seems odd in the heat, but oh well, the shopping must go on. Then yesterday we headed north to the schools we had taught at, those many years ago. I had always felt that my school was just a stop-over for the Aussie teachers as they soon moved on to a better school. It was not a friendly place, was not well run and I couldn't wait to be done with the place after my first year of teaching.
I full well know that after 37 years there will be no one left who would remember me but there were a couple of young science teachers that perhaps someone might know and could tell me where they were or some tid bit of an update. Hah. The school is much bigger now, has a new wing, more portables, but it didn't take long to realize its still the crappy s--t hole it once was. I stood outside the bulletproof reception window while the lady did a bonzer job of ignoring me as she bantered with her mates. Finally she lowered herself to asking me what I wanted and in my friendliest, most charming manner I explained my situation and essentially she told me to go to hell, she had no time for me, I could not look around the school and I could go to the department of education if I had questions. Ouch.
Some Thing Never Change.
I went back to the car, we had a good laugh and I felt very reassured that no,it was not me, it was that rotten school I had worked at that had left me with such poor memories of my teaching in Australia.

( We then went to Sheryl's school where they greeted her with open arms, are sending her the news letter, and, I believe, offered her a Knighthood).