There’s no shortage of advice for squeaky Docs (C8). We’ll start sensibly with Helen Cox of Mudgee who says: “Con Vaitsas may be able to solve the problem of squeaky shoes by placing a clothes dryer sheet underneath the liner in each shoe. I had a similar problem with my orthotics squeaking and a dryer sheet under each orthotic silenced them. An internet search said the squeaking was caused by friction between the orthotic and the shoe.” Col Burns of Lugarno says: “Doc Martens are specifically designed to squeak to alert other pedestrians that a trend-setting radical, a punk or a new wave musician is approaching. These days I find Hush Puppies more appropriate; the squeaks from my ankles and knees providing adequate warning to unsuspecting youngsters that a grumpy old man is inbound.”
Citing foot odour of another kind, Odille Esmonde-Morgan of Glenorchy (Tas) warns that Terry Wooldridge’s urine remedy would definitely work. “They’d smell so bad you’d never want to wear them!”
“Speaking of squeaky shoes, I have recently suffered the embarrassment of squeaky thongs,” reports Donald Hawes of Peel. “Around the Bathurst area where I live, they are silent, but when I take them to the Upper Hunter Valley (which is often), they squeak. Even the ‘dress thongs’ I leave up there are squeaking. Walking past the outdoor cafe tables, I am a particularly embarrassing centre of attention. ”
“I was amused to see an online weather report that the South Coast line on Monday ‘was affected by torrential winds’.” says Adrian Connelly of Springwood. “I’m glad it was spared any gale-force rain.”
Margaret Hamilton of Blackheath loved seeing Paddington with the Queen (C8). “I could see another person sitting there – Barbara Ker Wilson. She discovered Paddington, and edited and published the book. She came to Australia and was a prime mover in developing our children’s book industry. She died last year. At a lunch in her honour, Paddington took pride of place.”
“Regarding Mary Porter’s comment on the number of left-handed people in authority (C8), there is indeed an anatomical reason: left-handedness is caused by a dominance of the civilised half of the brain,” explains John Boddington of Dalton. David Swain of Glenhaven believes the Scottish clan of Kerr has a high proportion of left-handers. “But the only Kerr I’m aware of who was significant in Australian politics was considered by some to be particularly sinister.”
Column8@smh.com.au
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