It figures

I haven't really said much about it here, but beside writing on this blog every day, I've belonged to a Australian Army site for about six years. It's where I got the handle "Ranger Tom". Besides having a message board, the site has a chatroom too called "The Boozer" where I've spent many an hour chatting with fellow army veterans, swapped war stories and where we learned each other's slang. Being a member on that site was also a big help in my divorce too, for my "mates" whom I've never actually met but feel like brothers to me, rallied around and helped me get through those first few dark months.

So mostly my routine is to post here first thing, read my other favorite blogs, then check out my Aussie site. Yesterday morning I was looking through, and noticed I had a Private Message from one of my mates there. He's also a reader here and enjoys my little rants. I read the PM he sent and I just had to chuckle. If I had known the Australian term for "Nightman" I would have used it Friday.

I'll just let you read the PM because it's easier to just let him tell it. I've pasted the body of the message and, as usual, omitted any names:


G'day Tom,

Just had a few moments to sit down and visit your blog and caught the pervert one. Mate, with all that history in the family I wouldn't have married her in the first place. I know love is blind and all that, but man what a fucked up mob they are. It took me two goes through the mill to find the love of my life and I appreciate it every day. Not all sheilas are as fucked up as she obviously is. That Nightman idiot is on some other planet I reckon. Do you know what a nightman is in Oz?

Back in the earlier days of the 20th century and before, most houses had a back lane (alley) for access into the back yard. Well also at that time, proper sewers and stuff was not in place and most houses had an outhouse. Over here referred to as an outside dunny. Well, the "nightman" used to come along every night with his cart and empty the cans from the dunnies. So next time your Nightman gets on your blog, just refer to him as a turd burglar.

I first read the MJ blog..... Bleecchhh! what a thought. Can I stick my mit up to be in the hit squad?

Cheers mate, hope today is good for you.

I knew what a dunny was, but a nightman is a turd burglar? I wonder if my mate in Australia knows what the term "Turd Burglar" means here in the States? Even if my mate didn't know, it really is apt...

Mr. Nightman is a Turd Burglar!

Thanks Mate for clearing that up.

Now please send the slabs of VB and Coopers? Pretty please?

Copyright 2005 Thomas J Wolfenden