No Place To Live & Seeing With One Eye

The combination didn’t go over too well. But I just lived with it…Issue # 96

ifOnlyi…could have understood why my Mom never took any of my telephone calls from Australia. I know she was working around the clock during that period in her career, but was that a reason to ignore her only son’s cries for help?

I started to feel totally in control of my Bartending skills, and the satisfaction I felt daily at work was incredible, but I had a problem. That problem was my eyesight.

I’d been wearing contact lenses for 6 years now, and had very special ones. When I first got them, there were two types: hard and soft lenses. Neither worked for me at all. I used to rip the soft ones up each time I used them. The hard ones hurt a lot. But back in the States, I was given a special type of lens that was a combo between hard and soft.

Lens or No Lens.

They were magic, and I loved them. While cleaning one of them here in Australia, I tore it. I needed a replacement urgently; no one had heard of the combination lens, the brand, or could obtain them. So, I called our business offices back home and spoke to my Mother's secretary, Linda, asking her to have my Mom order one from my eye doctor and send it over the fastest way possible.

After a week, the lens hadn’t arrived, and I was having no luck speaking with Mom. Each day I called after work using my boss’s phone, I was told she was in meetings, and Linda hadn’t been given permission to order one for me.

It was the busiest time of Mom’s business career, and I had hoped for just one minute to ask her to have Linda, her secretary, order one and express it to me.

ZERO LUCK, ZERO Replies. I was now seeing with one eye and working. I could have gotten glasses, but I swam in the ocean daily, and sports played a big part in my life, so that wouldn’t have worked well for me at that time.

I was so terrified of damaging the second lens that I never removed it from my eye for the entire duration of my stay in Australia. I was supposed to remove and clean it daily.

When I couldn’t speak with my Mom, I decided to call Charlie, our National Sales Manager, who knew me exceptionally well. I hoped he could convince my Mom to handle this issue for me.

While I was on the phone, I also told Charlie that I was working and enjoying my life. I was doing well, but I needed a place to stay. He said he met a man at the trade show I was to work at before My Mom fired me for being late because my car got stolen at a hotel resort. He gave me the man’s phone number and suggested I contact him, and he might be able to help me find a place to stay.

I did just that. I called that day. On my first call, I got in touch with him, and he suggested that I come to his home to meet his family, and perhaps he could help find a solution that would benefit me. Apparently, he had a substantial business and was highly successful.

I arranged a cab to drive me to his home in the suburb of Vaucluse. The cab driver asked if I had been to this area before. “No, sir, it’s my first visit. I was introduced to some new people.” He said, “You’re fortunate to know someone living in that area of Sydney.” “Why,” I asked? “It is one of the top places to own a home in Sydney, New South Wales,” he replied

OMG, what was I in for?

He dropped me off, and I walked to the front door in total awe. It was directly on the low cliffs, and the beach was below his home. This was a piece of art. I knocked on the door, petrified about who these people were, although receiving an invitation immediately was a blessing. I hoped he could help me find a place to live or rent. Something small and affordable. That was indeed my goal

“Welcome. You must be Ollie. Come in.” The gentleman said. Two of his three sons and his wife were also there.. As they walked me into the den, my mouth dropped to the ground, looking at the spectacular view of the Sydney Bridge. The city was lit up, and the coastline views were the best I had ever seen. Much more impressive than the views from the cliffs of Palos Verdes, where my family lived.

Night views from my new home offered me a chance to stay. OMG

Next, I heard “Ollie, can I get you a drink?” “Yes, please,” I replied, and a beer was brought out. I shook everyone’s hands; the middle son, Peter, was my age, how fantastic! I hoped to get along and become friends with Peter—such a wonderful family.

All the questions were asked as to what brought me to Australia. I told them it was a dare from my friends back home in California. They never thought I would take the dare seriously, as we knew little about Australia, so I was determined to see if I could make a go of it here on my own.

I could see all of them were awestruck by what guts I had. “A champion with a willingness to try and see something outside of my comfort zone.” They said. None of them could believe I left my career in my family business behind to do this.

Remember, the father saw my family's company image at the Los Angeles Convention Center in 1982, a few months earlier. He had met some of the company’s sales team and seemed pleased that I connected. I wasn’t a tanned bum off the streets of Kings Cross.

Night view from my new found digs.

He went on to ask me what I was doing. I quickly told them all I was bartending at Rogues. “Wow, that’s a top-notch place, Ollie.” Peter jumped in and said he would go there when he could with his friends and was a member with ‘the key.’ “How did you get involved with them?” he asked, and I replied, “I met a stewardess on my flight from Brisbane to Sydney, and she introduced me to the owner, who blessed me with an interview and a position.”

“You lucky dog. It's a great place. Where are you living now?” the father asked. I explained that I had been staying at Karen, the Air Hostess’ home. Then I blurted out, “Here’s my concern. I have to move out because Karen’s only roommate wanted the space back and was a private guy.” “Karen!” someone replied! Yes, she was the stewardess I met while flying into Sydney, and after a challenging experience staying in one of the oldest hotels in town, and then with a policeman and his wife, I called her for help, and she offered me her place.

“Ollie, how lucky can one man be? It's incredible to fly and then move in with a stranger right away.” “Well, not that quickly, I stayed with Copper and his wife for a few days.” All four were shocked. Shocked to hear that the cop drank alcohol first thing in the morning, and when he returned from work, it was all out full blast, 24 beers and a carton of smokes nightly for the two of us.

“Ollie, how can we help?” the father asked. “I would be overjoyed to find a place with a bathroom and a bed; that’s all I need,” I replied.

“Would you be okay taking our spare staff room beside the kitchen?” Would I?

WOULD I?

“That would be like winning the lottery for me, sir.” His wife looked over at Peter and asked, “Are you okay with Ollie staying for a bit, Peter?” “ Sure.” He replied

Happy Days. Look at me, look at this place, look at where I am now. My friends back home would never believe I was invited to stay in this fabulous home and sleep in a bed all alone—peace at last.

Now I work at the best club in Sydney, and sleep in one of the best homes, in the best location in New South Wales. Vorcluse is where I wanted to get buried and have a view, too.

I only needed one issue resolved to get my full eyesight back and enjoy this place even more. That would never happen, 5 months without a contact lens for my left eye.

Mom never took my calls during my stay, never had a replacement sent to me, never told her secretary a reason why, and after all the money she spent on getting my teeth and scars fixed and getting my eyesight working, why did she fob me off? She did fire me after all!

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ifOnlyi…short stories follow my true-life journey. If you've just found me, you can check out my publication and choose a story of interest or start from # 1.