The word “mate” is a bit confusing for those not born in Australia but to an Aussie it’s used universally for both men and women without thought or bias… Perhaps that’s the part that’s so confusing to everyone else outside Australia – how can a woman be a mate, unless you ARE the “mate” if you know what I mean?
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| (L-R) Craig, his mum Bon and brother Alan whom we also shared a house with during College St Arnard - Australia - 1978 |
Well the planning for this weekend all started about six weeks ago when my best mate Craig called from home (Australia) to tell me that he had just been awarded the prestigious Platinum Club award (Top Ten Franchise in Australia) and was being provided with an all expenses paid trip to New York City to attend a leadership training program at Columbia University in mid July. Very cool!
How convenient I thought? I could just hop on a plane and be in NY for the weekend, never mind that he was flying in excess of 28 hours to attend the course at Columbia…all I could think of what was mischief we could get ourselves in???? Hhhmmm – the mind truly was percolating along at the very thought.
The last time we were together was on our hiking adventure in Papua New Guinea some 18 months ago so to say I’m pretty excited at the prospect of hanging out with him in NY this weekend is a bit of an understatement.
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| Craig after a hard day hiking on the Kokoda Track Papua New Guinea - 2011 |
Interestingly I have mused to myself on occasion since I got my tattoo in Australia that it might be good to get another one, albeit much smaller and perhaps less obvious. If I ever got another one it would definitely have some meaning otherwise I don’t think I would. I’m sure that will be a topic of conversation this weekend and will keep you posted!
My mate Craig and I met in first year of University and from Day one we’ve had this bond that’s hard to explain. He’s arguably closer to me that my brothers, with more in common on a day-to-day basis, not to mention his “Monty Python - esq sense of humor which keeps us both in stitches.
He also has the unfortunate honour of knowing everything about my life and me…yes, all of it – foibles included. He’s been there to pick me up when I’ve stumbled (quite a few times over the years), supported me through relationship breakups (since college – lets keep it to a small number shall we) and counselled me through personal loss (both mum and dad’s passing), and talked me “off the ledge” a couple of times (the most memorable one being when I’d decided that I’d had enough of relationships and was going to become a monk – oh, yeah there’s been a few of those times!) and into some great situations – the good, the bad and the ugly I suppose.
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| Craig earlier today in Times Square New York |
In generations past we would of said of each other that he’s someone who you’d want to have in the trenches with you – a mate whose dependable, a fighter and not someone who would give up on you or the situation easily, someone who’d see it through with you no matter what.
Clearly, the beauty of having a mate like this is that there is no pretence, nor judgment, just an acceptance of who you are…end of story.
When we do in fact connect in person its as if we’d just been together, even though its been months or in fact years since we were actually in the same place at the same time – physically together. It’s like time stood still and here we’re back talking “a mile a minute” like we were all those years ago when we shared a house at Uni.
Over the years Craig and I have played football together, gone on various holidays including the big one to Scotland & London in 2009, hiked the Kokoda Track in 2011 and now heading to New York for a big weekend of exploring.
Watch out New York here we come!
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