A personal reflection from Mike Webb. He was a great mate . A loyal mate. If I was having a difficult morning I would call a mate for lunch . Often it was Bowie. Whats happening? I am busy he would say. Do you want to go to lunch. Yeah. Lets meet at well say Langfords for a couple of pots and a counter lunch. No talk of troubles. A few stories from yester-year and a few laughs and we are off back to work. As I say often those stories were from his days in his early 20s . What Wocka did outside Biddles Pub one night. I did not play RL with Bowie. When I arrived in Mackay all my real footy days were done. But it is through Rotary that I met him and from that I met his like minded friends ( that is one Group of his friends. He had many Groups from his early Valley days, College, Footy , Punting, Golf, Fishing, Cricket then via his kids the Soccer and School interests . Bowie was widespread. Everyone liked hin , probably because they way he treated people. Always friendly , know their name, told a story , went off for a laugh and spread himself around from the garbo to the Prime minister . He was comfortable in any company. Naturally his business as a Financial Planner took him to associate also with people in Buniness . Not just the Mackay community will feel an enormous VOID by his passing . Friends Australia wide will mourn his loss. He was not critical of people. Or ever complained other than to make a joke of a situation. Pass it by and move on. When we spoke critical about something he would say Maaaaaaaaaaaaate. Then move on with a light comment. As I say many of his stories came from those 18 to 28 years. There is a story about his early Carleton years. As a junior Bowie had played for Wests and he played in the Rep sides as well. When time came for him to go into the senior side Wests had a cracker jack side I hear. Vic Stephenson was his junior Rep side coach and he had something to do with Bowie going to play for Carletons. He went over there as a half back and ended up in the forwards and as Hooker. In 1972 Carltons decided they needed to import a Capt Coach this Roy Kippen from UK . A big centre. At the time Bowie had this Blue HR Panel van . ( Christine often laughs about this Van in 72 they were still courting married in 73 ). Anyway Bowie in his long blond surfie Peter Stirling look , Wayne Blackford and Vic Stephenson all piled in Bowies van and went out to the airport to collect their new Coach. On the way back the trains were shunting at Juillet St and they had to wait for a while. A group of bikies came up beside them and I am not sure who said what to whom , but it was ON. They dusted the Bikies and then went onto to Biddles Pub when this Coach from UK had been given accommodation for the season. Roy looked at Bowie , shook his head and wondered what the hell has he got himself in for? He was the captain of the Mirani Convent Tunnel Ball Team you know. He told us because he was the only boy!
Posted on: Tue, 03 Dec 2013 06:15:25 +0000
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