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SpineOut : October - November2016
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TheOpeningoftheSydneyHarbourBridge Short Stories ‘Shirley, hurry up with rollers will you? We’re going to miss the tram!’ It was the 19th of March 1932. Shirley and her neighbour, Betty, decided to travel to town and get milkshakes at the milk bar. The tram conductor impatiently blew his whistle as the two girls giggled, quickly grabbing the handles of the moving tram and jumping on. The sun was shining beautifully in the inner west of Sydney, and Shirley held onto her brimmed hat tightly as the tram flew by on Parramatta Road. They arrived at a milk bar in Broadway; a beautiful building with pastel coloured walls and checked tiled-flooring. Colourful menus and large portraits of movie stars filled the walls while numerous electric blenders and glass jars filled with coloured sweets covered the counters. 'Good morning ladies,' Mr Smith the owner said with a smile. The two girls sat in a booth, sipping their milkshakes with whipped cream all over their noses. They couldn’t help but notice a group of teenagers sitting at the counter, listening to the radio. ‘The Sydney Harbour Bridge will be opening today at 2pm, I repeat 2pm. Be sure to come and join the parade walking over the bridge and celebrate this special event!’ ‘My papa was working on the bridge. He is walking in the parade’, Shirley said. ‘We should go over this afternoon and watch, what do you think?’, asked Betty. ‘That sounds like a swell idea!’ As they finished their milkshakes, the two girls decided to walk to Grace Brothers, the department store in Broadway. They passed the windows of the store that held exhibits of manikins wearing beautiful clothes in glorious settings. Walking through the revolving doors the girls took off their hats and gloves and gazed upon the extraordinary shopping scene. They decided to head towards the jewellery, as Shirley had her eye on a locket, that she had been saving up for months and months. With the help of some birthday money and her savings, she decided she wanted to buy it. It was a beautiful silver heart locket Sophie, Year 8 Mount St Benedict College Pennant Hills NSW that could be easily opened to place all sorts of treasures. Shirley decided to put a special amulet in it, one that her grandfather gave to her before he died. He was one of the workers on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and passed away from a working accident when they started the project. Shirley and her grandfather were very close and she spent a lot of time with him especially in the holidays when he took her to the pictures. The girls browsed the glass cabinets trying to find the locket. ‘I know it’s here, I saw it last time I was here with my mum.’ Shirley said impatiently. She desperately looked around for assistance, but there was no one available. ‘Don’t worry,' said Betty soothingly. ‘Let’s go back downstairs and look at something else.' Catching the elevator down, the girls ended up in the perfumery department. Hundreds of stands were in front of them, filled with exquisite glass perfume bottles. ‘Smell this!’ Betty cried out, spraying numerous amounts of perfume onto her wrist. 'It smells divine!' ‘Are you sure we’re allowed to do this?’ asked Shirley nervously. She glanced over at the Chanel stand, and dared herself to test it. She picked up the bottle in her hands, but as she did, her hat slipped from under her arm and she nearly dropped the bottle on the tiled floor. October - November 2016
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