A different perspective on an personal Anniversay date

Today is an ‘Anniversary’ date for me – a life-changing anniversary, one might say, given that I was supposedly not um, very alive when delivered by slow ambulance to a hospital after getting run over by two cars, when they both collided on 09 February, 1974. I was 13.

The Yanks use the most unfortunate term of ‘Collateral Damage’ for those unlucky bystanders whom instead become the casualties.

Usually, when I come face to face with this particular date, I end up feeling a bit sorry for me, cos I’ve been a wee bit sore ‘n ‘stuff’ pretty much every day of every year since. So How many years does today make it?

Thirty Bloody Six.

Yep, 36 years as of about 10.20am today 9 February, 2010, give or take a few minutes either side. I don’t much remember the next several months, but. pffft.

In an important break in ‘Paddy Tradition’, and as suggested by my dear friend Books (who is much wiser than she credits herself with being) I’m not going to spend me day thinking too much about the kid who used to run and walk and bike and fish, and tramp and play soccer, rugby, cricket, had paper and milk runs, lawn mowing jobs, pffft – he was a active little bugger, was young Paddy.

Instead, I’m going to remind meself of a few things that that kid has achieved, um, ‘post impact’ – ‘cos it was a goodun, was that prang. Once I’d convinced everyone I was too bloody dumb to just stay ‘died’ like I was when I got to the hospital I was sorta stuck back together and then put a bit of effort into relearning a few things.

So here, young Paddy is in your Honour instead of a glum post, a Celebration of some of the things you have done, since then. Try and accept that its OK to feel some pride, buddy, ‘cos just maybe, you’ve almost done enough to have earned that feeling, kiddo. Anyway:

I left my home town just as soon as I could.

Progressed thru training and promotion from property title search clerk (basic grade) to Assistant, and then, Land Purchase Officer and valuer, Ministry of Works and Development (MWD) . Not bad for a Ministry career that started badly in a Stores office.

P.S.A. workplace and then Regional Delegate; also temporarily represented Hawkes Bay on the P.S.A. National Executive for 5 months or so.

Transferred from MWD Land Purchase Officer appointment to Property Officer, HQ Coy, ATG Waiouru – set it up as a ‘proper’ property management department. 613 houses, plus camp land, buildings, etc. Member, Officers Mess and Waiouru Army Camp Volunteer Fire Brigade as a volunteer fire fighter.

Promoted to Def HQ Wgtn as Assistant Director, head of Defence Property management, NZ wide (Def was then the 3rd largest land user in the country – I was aged 26!)

Collated and corrected all property-related information included in the so-called ‘Quigley Report’ – a Defence Land Utilisation Review that lead to many depots, bases etc closing or contracting in size etc.

Successfully managed multi-million dollar operating budgets

Briefed Cabinet Ministers and other members of Parliament

Head of property management for a City Council

Head of property management for a District Council

Written and successfully, profitably published two small booklets

Survived Sunnyside Hospital (more than once) despite never saying what was really wrong

Father to a baby girl who is now a beautiful young woman

Married and divorced

Owned and sold houses, lifestyle property, etc.

Won First Prize in an Literary Competition and had my work published

Founded and maintained a successful NZ Internet-based mental health support network, from scratch, and with a zero budget, based on a hunch that ‘it’ was needed.

In the last few years, I have allowed myself to make and keep, a few close personal friends.

I can now share and be open and honest about my past, my feelings, my failures and sometimes, my successes too.

I really enjoy writing poetry and silly short stories.

I have been Blessed with the love and company of some absolutely awesome Cats in the last couple of decades.

My love of reading and inquisitive nature to ‘find out more’ means I’m seldom bored, unless I let myself be.

I love having music in my days and nights again. It’s been a long time between songs.

I’ve stayed on me feet a heck of a lot longer than any ‘specialist’ ever thought or said I would. Just like ya bloody well told them at the time, kiddo. Hehe, what do they know about stubbornness, eh?

I’ve ‘got over myself’ about accepting the fact that to go very far by me self, I need me electric feet. So, I use a mobility scooter to get there. That’s so ya can walk round when ya arrive – it’s not a weakness, it’s a strength, so there!

I can still drive me car without the ‘mobility driving aids’ I was told decades ago I would ‘have to use’ if ever I drove a car. Pffft, experts.

I have owned and ridden motorbikes from the age of 15, till me last one, a Triumph Bonnie that I reluctantly but realistically sold when I couldn’t kick start it anymore, in about 2002. I might just ride another Bike one day too, just for the fun of it. Electric Start, but.

I’ve had and loved, me own horse, a tiny (17.3 hands, pffft) Standardbred – Oh Red, matey, you were fun, RIP in those Dog Food cans, buddy. Sorry ‘bout that mate. It wasn’t my idea. You knew about it before I did, sorry Red. We had fun tho, aye! Whoa, you feckn animal, or words to that non-effect. Neither of us knew a bloody thing about horse riding, did we mate? But we got there, pffft. And on hot mid Canterbury days, me cat and I would sit back against you for hours, me reading a book as you lay in the shade.

Decided that I’m worthy of having a future and damn it, I’m going to – a good one, too. Take that, cars!

I know enough about me now, to be able to ask to go back on psych meds when I felt the need. And I take them, with a few glitches here n there, but mostly, yep.

Ahhh, nearly forgot – a kid that had to relearn to read etc, became Head Librarian at his High School. And it hardly matters, all these years later that ya forgot the ‘Library Staff Photo’ for that years High School Year Book. Ahhh, so ya memory was crap – tis still, so we can live that, can’t we?

And, I’ve allowed myself to become seduced by the possibilities of colour and texture and placement and all sorts of fun ‘arty’ things that I denied myself all my life, till the last three years. Even thinking about 'art' stuff makes me smile - a odd feeling, belive me.

Not too shabby for a dead kid, is it Paddy.

Yeah, there is no reason Year # 36 Anniversary has to be a crappy memory day, buddy. Congrats, Pat. I think, ya done enuff for a packet of Shortbread, almost.

Replies aren’t needed, but it’s your choice. Ta.

Very glad you managed to stick yourself back together so well Paddy.
you are a wonderful team leader here, we are all lucky to have you.

Apricot Hope you got that shortnin bread and it was YUM!

Hi Paddy...after reading that I think you would enjoy the book called The miracle life of edgar mint by Brady Udall...I look forward to getting to know you a little bit at a time..thanks for having me

37 years ago today, I was a kid.

A kid who had the misfortune to be ‘collateral damage’ when two cars struck each other in the middle of an intersection, resulting in significant damage to them both. Not nearly as much as the sods caused me and me push bike, ‘cos I’d stopped at the intersection to Give Way, hadn’t I? They got me, both of them.

My poor bike.
My very first bike with Sturmer Archey 3-Speed Gears, 28inch wheels, a carrier, light set driven by a dynamo on the front wheel and hand brakes front and rear. I really loved that bike, it was Freedom, it was Income and it was a Christmas present to beat all which came before. And, it was made by BSA and I had me eye on their motorbikes for when I was a bit older. I was 13. (Shhh, me first big motorbike was a Norton 500)

I’m sorry, Bike. For you, that Saturday mornings ‘running away from home’ lasted only as far as the first corner, where I decided I’d best follow the road rules and stop. And then, you were cruelly put to death by not one, but two cars. Never to again know the freedom of wheels on tarmac.

I came close to following you on the scrap heap of death, poor bike but I was too stupid or stubborn or summat and I defied the hospital folk who had written me off after they saw me. Stuck in a side room to die quietly, I was. I don't do ANYTHING quietly, they shoulda known that!

37 years of pain and a fight to relearn so much, like how to read and tell the time and walk and feed me silly self – shoe laces were a personal nightmare.

I woke up this morning thinking of me Bike and some of the awesome adventures I’d already had on it in between the short period of Xmas 1973 and 9 Feb 1974. Crikey, we went some places those Xmas Holidays, I tell ya. Then, I had a to ring a bloke to call around and help me get out of bed etc cos today just happened to be one of those days when assorted body bits didn’t wanna work.

I’m moving kinda slow today. 37 years after two cars ran me over, but that’s not so bad, cos I am moving and other than needing sticks to hold me upright, I blimmin well can move under me own steam.

Take that, World. Its only pain. I do pain.

Ya Lost in 1974 and I’m determined ya’all will keep losing cos I have no plans for giving in. I was too fucking stubborn then as a 13 yr old lad and I’m a lot more stubborn and pig headed now I’m 50.

But yeah, poor bike. You didn’t deserve that end. But worry not, bike – you are not forgot! We had some fun, we sure went some places, in those short weeks we had and it’s the fun ya remember most, so Thank You BSA Bicycle and Rust in Peace.

Paddy Quinn, skittled on the intersection of Bedford Road, Lowry Terrace Napier, 10.20am 09 Feb 1974.
Suddenly its 2011 and I’m still going strong and still walking, albeit with some help now and then. Ha, give in? I don’t know the meaning of the word. (it might have been one of the words I didn’t relearn during a long long rehab, lol).

Poor bike. Gone, but not forgotted.

Paddy.

This broke my little heart Poor Paddy, and oh that lovely bike

Sadness and pride - sad for the boy for losing so much, proud for the man who went on to achieve so much.

You achieve something valuable here everyday. Hugs.

Ah will ya stop going on and on, I will post ya a golden syrup loaf, you know you only have to ask.

Love to you dear friend and if I could take some of your pain from you I would because you saved me and now I belong to you (I think its Chinese Lore) that if you save someone's life you are responsible for them.

So I don't know who saved yours but you saved mine so you're stuck with a part time mental health nurse just to drive you even more crazy .

Love to you

Martinexxx

There was a young fella called Paddy
A fearless and feckless wee laddy
He took on two cars
Til he went over the bars
And he's now getting over his saddy!

(Apologies for the last line - it was a tough rhyme!)

I'm sure it's been said before, but this website is your living legacy Paddy. I am humbled and inspired with the people on here and their courage to share their experiences.

Thank you.