Re: re gunzel

["Rod" <comtrain@mpx.com.au>]

David Langley wrote in message <373035C1.921AEE1B@ancc.com.au>...
>Pete Kilburn wrote:
>
>> Maybe the term Gunzel is Victorian terminology, most people on the job in
>> NSW tend to refer to the photographers, number takers, obsessive train
>> riders and others whom suffer the disease as " Bloody Train Wankers"
>> Pete Kilburn
>
>Isn't it funny how you can have a very normal hobby like motor sports and
>bloody football, etc, but enjoy a relaxing pastime like railways leads
people
>to think that you are less than human, the again maybe some are?
>
>DEL
>
About ten years ago [or more] the Government in Power decided in their
wisxxxx, I mean stupidity,
to close many, if not all Mental Hospitals. This caused many people to be
put out on the streets
and although they were given some help at first, they learned to fend for
themselves.
A major problem was what to do with them, or how to occupy their time during
the long day!
One bright spark had seen a film about Pommie Plane [yes aeroplane] watchers
in England,
who would spend hours at the end of Heathrow runways with notebook and
pencils, jotting down
numbers, times types and Companies.
Now most of these people were supposed to be quite normal, but some were
depicted as being a
little slow.
Our bright spark [not the silver one with the broken aerial thingy on its
roof] had a a little brain seizure,
himself and went down to Woolies and bought lots of note books and pencils
and equipped all his Male
guests with same and a packed lunch, and dropped them around at various
Railway Stations, to be
picked up each night. I know only what I was told, a mate of mine used to
work as a nurse at Sunbury
Hospital, and swears that he did all this, when he was put in charge of a
small half way house at Footscray.
About this time I noticed an old man at Middle Footscray, who sat in one
spot every day, He had no socks,
mismatched shoes, trousers and jumper many sizes too small. Stared vacantly,
drooled and hardly took
notice of anything at all.
After sometime, I used to give a toot as I passed on the Totty Trip Trains,
just to see if he would react!
I noticed that he did, and soon we would wave to each other. Eventually it
seemed that he would look out
for me. I also noticed the notepad was folded open, and seemed to be used.
His manner started to improve,
and so did his clothing. He stopped drooling, and was much more animated.
The more regular gunzels that
used to sit on the Sunshine end of the platform, on Friday nights, and any
other night for that matter, soon
had a newbie with them, as I soon noticed him amongst them.
Each time I pass I look out for my friend, I am happy for him and wish I
knew more about his circumstances,
I think he is a true Gunzel now,
and I am happy to be one too.
Rod ;o)