The Little Guy Holds Out - Forever?

This afternoon I was prompted by the question, "why no accounts about travel in Australia?" I had no sensible answer for that, except perhaps that I have not kept any diary or log of any domestic travel. Other than the 6000km return trip into the depths of the tropics in a Suzuki van powered by a tired 900cc engine. In midsummer. 90km/h downhill only. Windows wound down the whole way. That was the the backbone of our honeymoon - some trips are best forgotten.

But putting that prompt together with the weekly, now fortnightly, drawing challenge at Blue Sky Studio, I thought I could tie both challenges together, although my art is nowhere as accomplished as those professionals. Their current challenge is "On the Way to Work this Morning I Saw..."

On the way to work this morning (yes, sadly Saturday) I saw something that makes me smile most mornings. In North Sydney, stuck between two large office blocks is a small two story building which is perhaps only 5-6 metres wide. It belongs to a watchmaker. He has managed to hold out and not sell his little premises. Something like the nail house guys in China. Not only is the shop front narrow but the shop is very shallow. The owner strikes you as one of those European types who managed to get out of Nazi Germany just in time. A careworn look. Maybe that look has come about from years of fighting developers, rather than the oppressive politics of a home country. His advertising has that blue tint of faded colour prints left on the wall far too long and many of the pieces are out of your grandparents house. And if you are a 1974 James Bond he has just the time piece for you. But he seems to get enough custom to keep him going. I have no idea how long he thinks he can hang on there.