Homogenised houses

It’s not possible to get lost when driving on TI or miss your destination for that matter.  Sometimes, however, I have driven past the turn-off to Pearl Street or straight past our home at number 10.  Never absent-mindedly, always deliberately when some unsavoury task awaited me; preparing another dinner, doing the BAS, an assignment nearing deadline.  Continuing to drive simply delayed the unpleasantness.

     In Cairns, I frequently drive past Bubu’s house, not deliberately, not absent-mindedly, but because the houses and the yards appear to be the same.

     I know I have overshot Bubu’s driveway, again, when I have to turn the steering wheel to follow the curve in the road.  But for the bend I’d keep on driving.  On a really good day, I remember to look for the Indian Mast trees in the neighbour's yard.  They are the only identifiable landmark.  There are too many low set masonry block houses, too many manicured council verges, too many smooth concrete driveways and too many bloody ornamental palm trees.

     Oh, give me a rusted car on flat tyres, a tree full of buoys, dinghies on trailers, high set/low set/block and fibro houses and a gathering of kids in yards or on streets and throw in some roaming dogs.  Oh, give me diversity or I shall wither in these burbs.