24.5.2009

Birthday Coincidences

 

    Birthday Coincidences

http://www.netsaga.is/media/files/svenni-Leaving.mp3


    As he bravely faced the fiery West Indian bowling attack, Australian cricketer Tim May had every reason to believe the coincidences surrounding were a portent of victory.

    It had been 4 years since May last played for Australia and his recall came for the Fourth Test of the 1992-3 series at the Adelaide Oval, his home ground.

    On 25 January, May had taken an amazing 5 wickets for only 9 runs-reason enough for him and his team -mates to celebrate. With the West Indies all out for a lowly 185, victory looked certain.

    May had another reason to celebrate: he had managed the amazing bowling feat on the eve of his 31st birthday. Now it was his birthday. By coincidence it was also Australia's birthday, 26 Jan. However fortune had taken a turn for the worst. The runs required to win were beginning to seem more and more elusive as Australian wickets fell cheaply. In fact the responsibility for winning the Test had fallen on Tim May, as on the previous day. As the other batsmen failed against the desperate West Indians (a defeat for them meant they would lose the series), May held out, his score gradually climbing.

    Finally, with Craig McDermott joining May, Australia was down to its last wicket. Each ball bowled could see the end of the match. M&M stuck to their task of closing the gap. They were cool under fire, as an anxious nation watched. Would the national day bring the appropriate victory? Could May celebrate his birthday his birthday as a national hero? With tension almost unbearable Austr. reached 184 one run behind. The W-I were rattled. fortune had swung Au. way.

    However a ball brushed past McM. gloves and the wicket-keeper caugh it.

    The W-I had won the narrowest victory in the long history of Test cricket.

    Talking of Aust. Day, a woman born on its 15. anniversary was named Leonore Australia Mullampy. IN 1939 she married Lyndon Day. Since then she's been Mrs Australia Day.

 

    Valentine, Valentine, Valentine, etc.

    Judy Valentine gave birth to triplet sons, Rowan, Michael and Mark on Valentine's Day 1981. 100 hundred years to the day before this the grandfather of the triplets, on the fatherps Steven's side was born. His name : Valentine Valentine. The parents had not planned the triplets'birth day. In fact the three were born by Caesaran section weeks before they were due.

 

    Two-way Streets

    At a junction in the Sidney suburb of Haberfield the two streets that meet are palindromes of each other, Ramsay Street and Yasmar Avenue.

 

    Wise after the Event

    The British Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents staged an exhibition at which the entire display collapsed. It was an accident, society members concluded.

 

    Barry's Deal

    In mid-1989 Barry Smith took over a car dealership. On the first day of trading his first customer was a man who walked in off the street. A deal was made. Now some new car owners don't like the name of the dealer on their new vehicle, but the customer did not object-his name was also Barry Smith.

 

    Pestered by Flies

     When Rod Annets was at school in 1978 the book Lord of the Flies was part of his English course. He said: -I liked the story very much and the teacher told me a movie based on the book had been made, but it was an old movie. Recently I had a strong urge to think about the story. This went onfor days until I forgot about it. Then I went to a trash and treasure sale. I browsed through a collection of books, something I never do and there was the book Lord of the Flies. I bought it and read it again.

    - Two days later I did something else I hardly ever do, looked at the late night TV guide, and there for the next Sunday movie was Lord of the Fliies.

 

    And in the Morning

    Gladys Vandenberg was a young trainee nurse on night duty. In a room with a balcony facing east a young man lay dying. He was his widowed mother's only child and her whole world revolved round him. He died at about 10,30 pm with his mother, the ward sister and Glady's present.

    - What will you do with him now?, asked the mother.

    - Nurse and I will lay him out and his body will be taken to the hospital mortuary, Sister replied.

    - Please, please, begged the mother, do not take him to the mortuary tonight. Say you will leave him here until the morning, and I will watch the dawn and think of him with the sun shining on him for the last time. Sister agreed.

    - Later, Gladys goes on, after the mother had left and we had finished laying out the body, I was told to get a trolley from the mortuary. I was astounded. -Sister, you promised his mother you would not move him tonight, I protested.

    - Nurse, replied Sister, when you are older and have more experience you will learn there are many things one has to say to relatives for their peace of mind which may not be strictly correct. You must realize we can't leave a body in the ward overnight - it would be completely wrong.

    - I used the lift and brought up the trolley. We placed the young man's body on it and wheeled it into the lift. The lift would not budge.

    - At dawn Sister called me. I watched as she gently moved the sheet down from the young man's face and chest. We stood there silently as the sun grew stronger and shone into the room. We were both thinking of the mother at home also watching the sun. As we left the room, Sister turned to me and said: -Nurse you will never forget this. And I never have.

    We heard later that the repairman had not been able to get the lift working before 10 am. By that time the sun had moved from the room. So a mother's last request for her dead son was granted.