I was only two and a half, now 76. My mother was in hospital for the birth of my younger brother and an uncle and aunt had me at their house, being my uncle's "favourite" nephew. I was outside quietly playing. I remember , ans still picture the creek, running across the backyard through a small clump of tall bamboo plants. I was having a ball.
Meanwhile, in the house Auntie Dor and uncle Bill are doing the dishes, and I believe a conversation along these lines took place.
"Bill, you had better go out and check on Barry.'
"He's ok. Can't hear him."
"But, ok He's quiet but what's he up to?"
"He's playing. Leave him be".
"You'd better check,still."
"Ok."
Bill came outside briefly, saying
Just come and have a look at this!
19 years later, as a young police officer, I called in on Auntie Dot. Uncle Bill had passed away a couple of months before.
I was saying that I was sure I had the right house but with the houses in the area being around 100 years old, it had thrown me that I couldn't see where the creek that ran through the backyard had gone.
"We haven't had a creek in the backyard. "
"Yes, I remember it running through yje the clump of bamboo in the back corner. There was a paling fence between yours, and your mother's yards, and two or three bits of wood were missing. You had no garden to mention and the yard was covered in recycled red bricks"
"The bamboo was right, the fence is right and missing panels is right, and as you see the red bricks are still there But I do t know where you get the creek from, we've never had a creek. No room for one. "
I continued to present the fact as recalled by a two and a half year old boy, after a 19 rear break. Then the penny dropped.
"I know exactly what you are talking about."
Auntie Dot repeated the original story, and continued
"On stepping outside, The flat backyard was under an inch of water, and every tap in the yard was turned on full.
That's where you get your cree from." :Uncle Bill could not see anything wrong.
"He's a boy."