A chance docking in San Diego decades ago led to one of the most heartfelt Vegemite rescues in Australian maritime history — at least according to the fond recollection of a reader whose late friend was at the centre of it all. It is one of several vivid reader anecdotes touching on food, television and the quirks of the English language.
A Vegemite lifeline in San Diego
David Sayers of Gwandalan recalls the story of his late friend Doug Bower, a chief steward who served aboard Australian container ships and tankers. On one voyage, Bower's vessel pulled into San Diego and tied up behind an Australian Navy warship.
The warship's captain, spotting the Australian flag flying from Bower's ship, wasted no time coming aboard. His crew had been stationed in the United States for ten months and had been unable to find Vegemite anywhere. Could Bower help?
Bower handed over the 3½ boxes he had on board. A grateful captain departed with a rating carrying the precious cargo. According to Sayers, the captain was reportedly very popular at breakfast the following morning.
Animation history and a Bewitched connection
A recent discussion about the classic American television series Bewitched has prompted Graeme Finn of Campsie to share a piece of animation trivia. Finn notes that the opening titles of Bewitched featured animation produced by Hanna-Barbera — the same studio behind The Flintstones.
The connection ran deeper than credits, Finn points out. The lead characters from Bewitched, Samantha and Darrin, actually made a guest appearance in an episode of The Flintstones as new neighbours to the prehistoric family.
Cherished restaurant memories — and a marriage proposal
A previous mention of upscale dining at a venue called the Chelsea has drawn warm recollections from two readers with very different experiences of the place.
Duncan McRobert of Hawks Nest dined there just once, in his mid-twenties. He describes the atmosphere as one of "opulent indulgence," and recalls that the menus presented to female guests contained no prices — a detail that produced an unforgettable expression on one male diner's face when he opened his own price-laden copy.
Peter Olsen of Hornsby visited the restaurant twice in the 1970s, once with each of two different young women. The second visit proved life-changing. Olsen later proposed to that companion over the phone — Sydney to New Jersey — while she was home for Christmas in 1972. He remembers a standout dessert: a pineapple scooped out and filled with other fruits. The couple, he notes, are still married.
Grammar, grooming and sporting commentary under the microscope
On a lighter note, Daniel Low of Pymble has declared himself delighted by a word introduced in an earlier reader contribution. The word "shevelled" — the logical but non-standard opposite of "dishevelled" — is, Low says, the perfect description for the well-put-together look he aims for when leaving the house.
Meanwhile, Carole Dawes of Randwick is less amused by the persistence of the word "versing" in sports broadcasting. Having endured it throughout the NRL season, she was dismayed to hear it again almost immediately — this time in a radio advertisement promoting a rugby World Cup broadcast, which described the opening match as New Zealand "verse" Australia. Dawes is wondering when the usage will finally be corrected.
