Who should I brush shoulders with on the way to work this morning but Australian Prime Minister John Howard, on the way in to the Australian Wheat Board / Iraq corrupt kickbacks inquiry. Of course I didn't literally brush shoulders with him. Before I could do that, a man in a black suit and dark glasses politely came up to me and asked me who I was with. When I politely disclosed that I was a journalist but really just on my way to work and hanging around for my own interest and to catch a cameraphone image of the PM, he politely told me to please move back behind the white line, sir.
(Click the picture for the whole photoset, including a blurry shot of a protester being body-slammed by about 20 police at once and being hurled into the back of a paddy wagon.)
And then if seeing John Howard on the way to work wasn't enough excitement, as I was ordering my morning coffee from Nick and Gina at the bottom of Stockland House in Castlereagh St, who should walk past but Richie Benaud.
I almost walked after him and asked if I could get a camera phone pic with him to complete the photographic essay of my amazing walk to work, but then I thought, "don't be a tosser, Dan… Richie probably hasn't had his morning coffee yet either. Give the man a break."
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#1 by Andrew on April 14, 2006 - 12:12 am
I reckon meeting Richie would be much more fun than meeting Howard. At least you'd get the truth from Richie!
#2 by Rob Irwin on April 14, 2006 - 10:00 am
Great stories, Dan! I know Anna has mentioned seeing Tony Greig a few times at Stockland House. Maybe Rich was heading up for a few sherbets with him.
#3 by Rob Irwin on April 14, 2006 - 10:03 am
And, I'll add something else, actually. What a bloody tops country we live in where the PM can actually walk down the street with minimal security (yes, I think half a dozen security guys and a phalanx of cops is minimal for the head of a country). I mean, you just walked up, Dan, and could — literally — have been anyone. You could have had a weapon. You could have thrown a cream pie. Whatever. I'm really proud of Australia when I think of things like this, and compare it to how it would be handled, overseas.
#4 by David Flynn on April 14, 2006 - 11:18 am
My closest personal brush with political fame was standing next to Gough Whitlam in the gents at Her Majesty's Theatre. But _definitely_ no cameraphone involved there!
#5 by anne on April 14, 2006 - 2:30 pm
Does Richie really look about 137 years old up close?
Was he wearing a beige, off white, cream coloured jacket?!
What a morning!
#6 by danwarne on April 14, 2006 - 2:51 pm
Yes, I must say Richie -did- look old. He sort of had a vacant look on his face too. He was walking down the road looking into the middle distance. (Admittedly, it's not that surprising that he didn't recognise me ;-)
He wasn't wearing a bone coloured jacket, but rather a light blue one. The off-white must be reserved for the commentary box.