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“Further to Carol Dawes’ (C8) reminder of kids’ colour patches on elbows and knees, we had two distinct tribal markings in our neighbourhood: the Yellow (Acriflavine) and Red (Mercurochrome), depending on what Mum had in the medicine cabinet,” says Warren Mitchell of Mosman. “The old Mercurochrome contained mercury, so joining the Yellow tribe may have been the safer option.”
“As a fellow ’60s kid, I loved having Mercurochrome splashed on my gravel fall wounds at playtime,” writes Beverley Fine of Pagewood. “It looked so dramatic. I could do with some of Carol’s liquid vermillion now that I’m my own 70-year-old trip hazard. Antiseptic cream just doesn’t cut it.”
Josephine Piper of Miranda recalls: “In 1960s Fiji, where I was teaching, it was Gentian Violet that was applied to cuts and abrasions. It was effective, and quite colourful.”
“I nearly fell off my chair when I first saw the Iced VoVo mechanic ad (C8),” says Ann Clydsdale of Bathurst. “I was sure someone in the advertising industry had been snooping on us. Like the man in the ad, my husband’s name is Bruce, we have four children, he’s always telling people that his brain is active, he does some car maintenance himself (less since cars became more computerised) and we have a kelpie! [We’ve ascertained it’s a Queensland tricolour but play on – Granny] The only point of difference is that he doesn’t eat Iced Vo-Vos, though I bought him a packet after seeing the ad.”
Geoff Carey’s mention of disappearing, smoke-damaged chocolate (C8) reminded David Prest of Thrumster of his father’s time on the HMAS Norman in Alexandria during World War II: “A load of beer was delivered to the ship late in the day. The clueless RN midshipman decided to put a tarpaulin over it overnight to keep it ‘safe’. Like the MacRobertson’s chocolates, the tarpaulin was a bit flat the next morning.”
“Prompted by hearing ‘Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, oi, oi, oi’ in response to Tony Burke’s laudable effort to save those brave Lionesses, and still hearing ‘drill, baby, drill’ echoing from the POTUS who wants his country to reflect his dystopian view of the globe, and reflecting on Albo’s recent exhortation to ‘cool it’, I thought Australia should perhaps chant ‘chill, Oz, chill’,” offers Victor Grasty of Padstow Heights. “This doesn’t have the best alliteration and rhythm of great chants. I’m sure readers can improve on my effort.”
Column8@smh.com.au
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