澳洲流水帳
走走，停停，看看，人生大概就是如此吧。
FAREWELL, STEVE!
STEVE走了，澳洲人還沉浸在失去他的痛苦之中。九月末，政府響應大家的呼聲，為STEVE IRWIN舉行了告別儀式。IRWIN的家人同意把地點設在在AUSTRALIA ZOO的鱷魚館。三千張免費門票成為大家那幾天最想得到的寶物。很多人徹夜不眠守候在發票的地點外，隻為了能為他們的英雄送行。在發票的過程中，也發生了很多感人的小故事。一個小男孩兒，在排到他的時候，票已經都發完了，小男孩兒忍不住失望哭泣起來，排在他前麵的一位男士，看到此景，毅然決定把自己的一張票送給這個可愛的孩子，小男孩兒破涕為笑。一位女士看到這位男士的做法很感動，把自己的兩張票送出一張給他，大家終於皆大歡喜！
沒有票的飛鳥那天早上隻好坐在電視機前觀看九頻道的電視直播。一個小時的活動雖然不長，但非常令人難忘。STEVE的家人和朋友們懷著對他的敬意，表達了他們的心情。他的父親說，請大家不要為STEVE難過，因為他已經歸於平靜，請大家為動物們難過吧，因為它們失去了它們最好的夥伴，和我一樣。STEVE最疼愛的女兒BINDI IRWIN走上台的時候，大家全場起立，為這個勇敢的小女孩鼓掌。她的臉上還掛著微笑，用她稚嫩的嗓音朗誦著她對爸爸的愛和懷念：她說。。。每當我看到鱷魚，就會想起我的爸爸，他建了這個動物園，讓野生動物各有其所，也修建動物醫院治療受傷的動物，喚起人們熱愛動物的心，爸爸未竟的事業，我們要來幫助他完成，她小小的身影筆直站在台上，堅毅的神情像極了她勇敢的父親。每一位現場和電視機前的觀眾都為BINDI的發言感動和鼓舞。
當STEVE生前的好友，著名鄉村歌手JOHN WILLIAMSON抱著吉它彈起那最熟悉的旋律TRUE BLUE的時候，飛鳥的眼淚也不爭氣的落了下來。TRUE BLUE的深情旋律和此情此景是如此完美地融合在一起。。。當STEVE的夥伴，PACK起他平常用的工具，開動他的卡車的時候，人們的心又一次下沉下沉。。JOHN深情地談唱著，麵對三千名遠道而來的人們，麵對著他平時的工作夥伴和親友，也麵對藍天白雲，唱給已遠在天上的STEVE。
上一周，STEVE的妻子TERRI終於接受采訪，談到所有澳洲人給她的支持，關懷，鼓勵，她宣言要把STEVE的事業發揚光大，把AUSTRALIA ZOO辦的更好更大，讓我們看到了她的堅強。祝福她們，能把STEVE的動物保護事業繼續下去，也祝福他們的兩個孩子BINDI 和BOB健康成長，成為和她們的爸爸一樣勇敢，堅強，熱愛動物，熱愛澳洲的澳洲英雄。
FYI:
(http://www.johnwilliamson.com.au/html/body_trueblue.html)
True Blue - John Williamson
What is "True Blue"? Well that's the question I had to answer really when John Singleton asked me to write a theme for his "True Blue Aussies" TV program in the early 80's. Hence the words "Is it me and you? Is it Mum and Dad" etc...
A Pom in Coventry reckons the saying came from a mulberry orchard in his town. (Mulberries apparently were used in the old days to dye the blue coats of British Soldiers). And it was this one particular orchard that had the "true blue" colour that the army preferred. Well, perhaps this is why in the USA "True Blue" is more connected to the armed forces and their patriotism.
In Australia, however, it has come to mean the cream of "fair dinkums". I receive many letters from bereaved families telling me how they used this song to bury their "True Blue" Dad or Mum, Son or Daughter. And this helps me explain that it means all of the following:
1. An honest person to be trusted
2. His/her word is his/her bond
3. The person loves Australia and respects the nature of the land
4. Feels Australian and is proud of it
5. Cares about others. A really good mate
6. Something that is truly, unmistakably Australian. (Like "shouting" a beer in a pub or a kelpie dog)
The list could go on. I guess the same principles apply to any nation. But we happened to coin the phrase first.
True Blue - Words and Music by John Williamson
As sang at Steve Irwin's Memorial
Hey True Blue, don't say you've gone
Say you've knocked off for a smoko#
And you'll be back later on
Hey True Blue, Hey True Blue
#Smoko
To 'knock off for a smoko' is to have a break for a coffee, tea or cigarette.
Give it to me straight
Face to face
Are you really disappearing,
Just another dying race,
Hey True Blue.#
#True Blue
Steadfast loyal Australian who displays the Aussie ideals of a
of a fair go for all, mateship, having a go, and solving problems.
True Blue, is it me and you?
Is it Mum and Dad, is it a cockatoo?
Is it standing by your mate
When he's in a fight?
Or will she be right?
True Blue, I'm asking you...
Hey True Blue, can you bear the load?
Will you tie it up with wire,
Just to keep the show on the road?
Hey True Blue, Hey True Blue, now be Fair Dinkum#
#Fair Dinkum
Virtually the same as True Blue - honest, reliable, trustworthy,
dinki-di; someone who has embraced the Aussie attitudes to everything,
especially mateship. 'Are you fair dinkum?' means 'are you telling the truth?'
Is your heart still there?
If they sell us out like sponge cake
Do you really care?
Hey True Blue.
True Blue, is it me and you?
Is it Mum and Dad, is it a cockatoo?
Is it standing by your mate
When she's in a fight?
Or will she be right?
True Blue, I'm asking you...
True Blue, is it me and you?
Is it Mum and Dad, is it a cockatoo?
Is it standing by your mate
When he's in a fight?
Or will she be right?
True Blue ... True Blue.
