Another good read. When every Qld backyard had a mango tree I believe. Can you imagine kids today doing half that stuff? Those descriptions from ASIO are priceless!
Well practically every backyard had a mango tree. Thats one big change in Brisbane -- it's hard to find a mango tree now Apart from remembering Neil, ADIO's language was my inspiration to spend two weeks writing that story.
I didn't know the fruit of monstera deliciosa is edible, Hugh, despite the clue in the name. Youtube tells me it is a prized delicacy, but only when carefully prepared. How did you know all this back then?
All we knew about that fruit was that it was delicious -- so long as you skillfully avoided the little black bits in among the fleshy white fruit. They hurt your mouth.
Probably someone told my big brother about it -- Mum or Dad or an Uncle or two -- and I joined in the feast.
Well Hugh you have out done yourself, that was a real page turner, and so very sad in a way. But the threat I think was real then, very much like the Communist Chinese are today. One wonders in years to come what injustices will be unearthed from sleuths like you?
Thanks, Peter for reading my long epistle and engaging with it.I too felt it was "very sad' -- but at least one reader had told me he can't understand why readers found it sad!
As Billy Lee Long would say "It takes all kinds to make a world"!
I just lived our life over again with so many memories of Neil!
.The bike frame he painted for us in red and green, trimmed with white in between the colours.
.Trusting Neil to cut off my Gold Bangle by placing my arm along his underhouse Vice! A bangle I had worn for so many years, was now too small to take off manually - now had to be removed, as NO JEWELLERY was to be worn at High School.
Hence his underhouse Vice came into play!
Neil was such a big part of our backyard childhood - but his parents were not.
Was so saddened when the end of your story finished with “he died last month at the age of 86”.
Neil was a Gentle Giant - his name, well suited. Gay S.
Dear Sister Gay in Perth. I didn't think you would remember so much about Neil!
In my opinion you were very brave to place your arm anywhere near that Vice! But Neil was a trustworthy soul. Imagine telling girls they can't wear any jewellery at all.
Now they have it through their nose or their tongue!
You when the prize for the best comment -- he was a Gentle Giant.
What a wonderful reminiscence though very sad for Neil, to be hounded for the majority of his working life. No wonder ASIO is mistrusted by government of both persuasions. I really enjoyed this read Thank Hugh!
There's nothing better for a writer to hear that :I really enjoyed the read" ... that's my aim, though it isn't as easy as it may look. I struggled over that article for weeks.
"...we decided to drive down over the border to Woodenbong in New South Wales to shoot rabbits."
Give or take a year, a mate (Trevor Sauer) and I did the same thing, using his mother's A-30. A neighbor loaned me a side-by-side 12G shotgun. It worked.
The more you write, the more similarities come to light, at least as far as 1970 anyway. Brisbane State High - yup. That's where I met Trevor. ('55 to '58) We were both members of the Army Cadet Unit shooting team, and joined the Northern Command Rifle Club. Gave us some more range time.
One reader of this substack story of mine said he had had a lot to do with ASIO and commented "everyone there calls it 'as 10' or 'the firm'. He seemed to know an awful lot about it ... and included people's middle names!
Both of Neil's wives emailed to say how much they liked the story -- Gerry said as she read it "I am close to tears as well as laughter"; Noeline said: "What got to me was the fact that they made all those assertions which were so damaging without actually checking their validity with Neil himself".
One of your best Hugh. Shines a personal light into the dark recesses of so called 'intelligence' agencies, and the havoc they wreak in people's lives across generations. Neil was a true Australian patriot in contrast to the bozo empire simps who spied on him. Thanks for writing.
Well Hugh, i absolutely loved this story of your childhood neighbour Neil Fraser Gentle and to know the friendship still existed later int life.
I remember Neil as a caring, thoughtful and very patient young man. He was so patient he taught me as a younger person how to play cards. Which I still love, although today I now play Majong .
Hugh, your story gave me an insight into Neil’s world which I knew very little of so thanks for writing this story of Neil FrAser Gentle he was a man to be admired not just for his intelligence but how handled the life he was dealt.
Thank you Hugh! Hard to find more interesting neighbours than the Gentle family. Amazing how Vietnam featured in your life as a journalist and war correspondent, and in the lives of Janet and Jim Henderson who met Hoh Chi Minh in Vietnam in 1963. I really enjoyed reading your profile of Neil Gentle, a man of great intelligence and humility, who prevailed and did the best he could, despite the many obstacles hampering his life and career.
Yes Peter, strange that while I was in Communist Cgina he was being hounded for being a communist ... and his sister and husband ended up in Hanoi dealing with Ho Chi Minh while I ended up in Saigon covering the war!
You can never tell where life leads anyone ... anyone at all.
Another good read. When every Qld backyard had a mango tree I believe. Can you imagine kids today doing half that stuff? Those descriptions from ASIO are priceless!
Well practically every backyard had a mango tree. Thats one big change in Brisbane -- it's hard to find a mango tree now Apart from remembering Neil, ADIO's language was my inspiration to spend two weeks writing that story.
A great read.
But I wonder how much ASIO has improved since still then?
I bore you two in mind when writing it!
Hugh
Outstanding! Both heartwarming and heart-wrenching.
A comment to keep -- coming from a book editor in the USA!
Thank you, Darcy
Hugh
I didn't know the fruit of monstera deliciosa is edible, Hugh, despite the clue in the name. Youtube tells me it is a prized delicacy, but only when carefully prepared. How did you know all this back then?
Dear Wombat,
All we knew about that fruit was that it was delicious -- so long as you skillfully avoided the little black bits in among the fleshy white fruit. They hurt your mouth.
Probably someone told my big brother about it -- Mum or Dad or an Uncle or two -- and I joined in the feast.
How to eat Monstera Deliciosa safely
https://youtu.be/9GZ5h6HVcQk?si=b9ccUrS12_H_NA7O
Well Hugh you have out done yourself, that was a real page turner, and so very sad in a way. But the threat I think was real then, very much like the Communist Chinese are today. One wonders in years to come what injustices will be unearthed from sleuths like you?
Thanks, Peter for reading my long epistle and engaging with it.I too felt it was "very sad' -- but at least one reader had told me he can't understand why readers found it sad!
As Billy Lee Long would say "It takes all kinds to make a world"!
ONE of your best bro Hugh!
I just lived our life over again with so many memories of Neil!
.The bike frame he painted for us in red and green, trimmed with white in between the colours.
.Trusting Neil to cut off my Gold Bangle by placing my arm along his underhouse Vice! A bangle I had worn for so many years, was now too small to take off manually - now had to be removed, as NO JEWELLERY was to be worn at High School.
Hence his underhouse Vice came into play!
Neil was such a big part of our backyard childhood - but his parents were not.
Was so saddened when the end of your story finished with “he died last month at the age of 86”.
Neil was a Gentle Giant - his name, well suited. Gay S.
Dear Sister Gay in Perth. I didn't think you would remember so much about Neil!
In my opinion you were very brave to place your arm anywhere near that Vice! But Neil was a trustworthy soul. Imagine telling girls they can't wear any jewellery at all.
Now they have it through their nose or their tongue!
You when the prize for the best comment -- he was a Gentle Giant.
Hugh
Thanks Hugh! Dad really treasured your friendship.
I didn't know that Nick, so thanks for letting me know.
Hugh
What a wonderful reminiscence though very sad for Neil, to be hounded for the majority of his working life. No wonder ASIO is mistrusted by government of both persuasions. I really enjoyed this read Thank Hugh!
Steve F Woodvale WA
There's nothing better for a writer to hear that :I really enjoyed the read" ... that's my aim, though it isn't as easy as it may look. I struggled over that article for weeks.
Hugh
Well I'll be sheep-dipped:
"...we decided to drive down over the border to Woodenbong in New South Wales to shoot rabbits."
Give or take a year, a mate (Trevor Sauer) and I did the same thing, using his mother's A-30. A neighbor loaned me a side-by-side 12G shotgun. It worked.
The more you write, the more similarities come to light, at least as far as 1970 anyway. Brisbane State High - yup. That's where I met Trevor. ('55 to '58) We were both members of the Army Cadet Unit shooting team, and joined the Northern Command Rifle Club. Gave us some more range time.
I told you before Graham -- you've been following me around all my life!
Hugh
Gay just added to her note below (on email) on my reply:
"I REALLY LIKED NEIL AS HE WAS SUCH A KIND, CARING, UNASSUMING, GOOD BOY, who was destined to become THE MAN HE WAS.
With such adversity in his life, I am so happy he had a nice life with 2 wives and 2 sons and 2 Degrees!
I add this because I didn't have room in the story to say Neil later got an Economics degree from ANU!!!! A diverse talented man.
One reader of this substack story of mine said he had had a lot to do with ASIO and commented "everyone there calls it 'as 10' or 'the firm'. He seemed to know an awful lot about it ... and included people's middle names!
Both of Neil's wives emailed to say how much they liked the story -- Gerry said as she read it "I am close to tears as well as laughter"; Noeline said: "What got to me was the fact that they made all those assertions which were so damaging without actually checking their validity with Neil himself".
An incredible story, of an unappreciated and unforgivably misunderstood man. Thank you Hugh.
Thanks Blake, you summed up my attitude to my story very well.
Hugh
One of your best Hugh. Shines a personal light into the dark recesses of so called 'intelligence' agencies, and the havoc they wreak in people's lives across generations. Neil was a true Australian patriot in contrast to the bozo empire simps who spied on him. Thanks for writing.
Well Hugh, i absolutely loved this story of your childhood neighbour Neil Fraser Gentle and to know the friendship still existed later int life.
I remember Neil as a caring, thoughtful and very patient young man. He was so patient he taught me as a younger person how to play cards. Which I still love, although today I now play Majong .
Hugh, your story gave me an insight into Neil’s world which I knew very little of so thanks for writing this story of Neil FrAser Gentle he was a man to be admired not just for his intelligence but how handled the life he was dealt.
Thank you Hugh! Hard to find more interesting neighbours than the Gentle family. Amazing how Vietnam featured in your life as a journalist and war correspondent, and in the lives of Janet and Jim Henderson who met Hoh Chi Minh in Vietnam in 1963. I really enjoyed reading your profile of Neil Gentle, a man of great intelligence and humility, who prevailed and did the best he could, despite the many obstacles hampering his life and career.
Yes Peter, strange that while I was in Communist Cgina he was being hounded for being a communist ... and his sister and husband ended up in Hanoi dealing with Ho Chi Minh while I ended up in Saigon covering the war!
You can never tell where life leads anyone ... anyone at all.