For the 25th consecutive year, the annual M Hodgman QC, MP memorial Parliamentary Handbook Book Exchange (hereafter, TMHMM PHBE) was rounded up and effected with customary aplomb.
This year, the Exchange occurred concurrently with the quadrenal Election Sausage Sizzle, and what a stunning event that turned out to be, for all concerned, least of all, the great unwashed Australian Public.
Little did they know they were going to vote in the party which had laid landmines in their own backyard!
Preparations at 8 Nixon Street commenced early on a glorious, sunny and clear sky day on 18th May 2019. The facsimile copy of the Parliamentary Handbook, found on Gumtree 2 years ago by GL Sealy SC, was laid centre table surrounded by appropriate glassware for the intended refreshments to accompany the feast.
The host, P Kimber Esq planned a simple menu, contemporaneous with his mental attitude. Vermey porterhouse steak, thick and juicy, a beef sausage for each diner, and a healthy selection of cheese and fruit.
Water glasses were left untouched. Clearly, in order to encourage the good habit of taking water between stronger drink, the diners need a waitress. That will be the situation next year.
But more importantly, this was the inaugural year for the concurrent "Handover of PLUS 4" by Dudley Pope. Procured last year for Paul Cook Esq, renowned liquidator of hats, Pope's seminal volume remains, once again, unread.
The map in the frontispiece evidence the likely topic: the Mediterranean Sea, from Cyprus to Algiers, with particular focus on the Greek Islands.
But other than that, the content remains a mystery, highlighted by Paul's comment that the paragraph he has read was "boring as buggery".
With so much formality, and the risk of confusion, it was necessary not only to have the participants in the TMHMM PHBE and the PLUS 4, but also the services of well known arbitrator and mediator, the Honorary Guidance Officer, and former librarian, Jim Cousland.
Lunch commenced with these little numbers, procured by Mr Cook from the
Germany, The Reinheitsgebot sometimes called the "German Beer Purity Law" of 1516, gave birth to these little beauties: the Weihenstephaner!
As is required by the Sealy-Kimber compact, the returning volume is to be accompanied by a bottle of port wine. Sealy provided this "Cockburn" number. Let's hope it doesn't live up to its name.
Image: Cook Esq with PLUS 4, demonstrating the contract in place. Cook commented that it may be thought to be a bit of a mean birthday gift, half a book that no-one wishes to read, but then finished with "but the gameplay surrounding the exchange makes it all worthwhile".
Sealy SC with the Sealy-Kimber contract and original Parliamentary Handbook of 1984. Reading the book into evidence was easier than first thought, given that most pages are photographs of well known parliamentary luminaries.
JD Cousland Esq weighs up the relative merits of a book of photos of ancient parliamentarians, compared with Dudley Pope's epic masterpiece. His conclusion: "roughly equal".
Image: Kimber with the chart of the Aegean and Mediterranean seas. Apparently the most interesting thing about Pope's book.
Later in the day, discussion centered around the gentleman Dudley Pope described on page 182 of FLAG 4, viz the SO of the 10th Flotilla, Lt.-Cdr C. P. Evenson, D.S.C. Comfortable and engaging chatter brightened up the afternoon once it was realised Evenson has crossed over to the south west shore of Kalimno and again worked his way back to the north shore of Kos - and Island Mr Sealy himself asserts he visited just some 3 years ago. No coincidence!
What then happened? Well, some of the above wine vessels were emptied, and day turned into night. Bed beckoned, and the following morning we all awoke to find Scott John Morrison, born 13th May 1968 (a little over a week ago but 51 years ago) was reborn, not just as a happy clappy Christian, but the doomslayer of Bill Shorten and apparent leader of our Great Nation. Tell that to Dudley Pope!
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