Corner Store in Railway Estate (© Magi Nams)
The corner store near Richard’s exudes the character of another era. Empty crates are piled outside it beneath a flat, projecting roof that shelters pedestrians from sun and rain. The prices of specials are displayed in chalk on huge blackboards fastened to one exterior wall. Within the store itself, the aisles are narrow, with goods for sale arranged on floor-to-ceiling shelves, as well as in wall coolers and freezers. A couple minutes before 6 a.m. this morning, I stopped in to buy a newspaper.
“You here for a Bulletin?” The proprietor grunted while wrestling with a hefty, bound stack of newspapers. “I got some open already, inside.” He looked too elderly, although not frail, to be fighting that weight of papers.
I bought my Bulletin and quickly walked to Richard’s to peruse the garage sales section, which was intimidatingly large, but fortunately arranged by suburbs. Many of the sales started at 7 a.m., so I woke Vilis. Then, feeling like students again, we dashed from one garage sale to the next in Hermit Park, Mundingburra, Aitkenvale, and Annandale, picking up dishes here, a desk there, and numerous other household items at yet more stops. Periodically, we returned to Richard’s to unload our purchases, some of which we had strapped to the car roof, and most of which we stashed beneath the house. The rest went in the guestroom. By mid-afternoon, with our garage sale possibilities exhausted, we headed to Salvo’s (Salvation Army) to buy a fridge, easy chair, and lounge. In the end, we purchased essentially everything we needed to furnish our home-to-be, plus a bicycle and cycling helmet for me, in that one mad rush of second-hand shopping that cost a total of less than $400.
Hours later, we drove back to Richard’s after viewing Avatar 3D at the Reading Cinema in Willows Shopping Centre. Warm air blowing in through the car’s windows in the darkness soothd after the day’s scorching heat. At the show, some movie-goers carried in the classic snack of drinks and boxes of popcorn, but many toted in waffle cones and licked away at vanilla, chocolate, or chocolate-dipped ice cream. The cool, creamy treats seemed the perfect antidote for Townsville’s blazing heat.
