Paddy's fly in the ointment - a postscript to his one big day in the year

The main agenda item at the Table of Knowledge at the local watering hole on Saturday afternoon was traffic congestion in the Lower Clarence area.

Paddy started proceedings by asking, "Where's the worst traffic spot in the Lower River area?"

Bazza replied, "Fair go, Paddy, what do you mean by 'worst'?"

"Ok, I'm referring to congestion, near misses, places you really dread, that sort of stuff."

There was a pregnant pause and then it started!

Without dissent, the intersection of Yamba Road and Treelands Drive in Yamba was given the nod, with quite a few of the lads really going to town about that part of the world and venting their spleens well and truly.

After the ambient temperature fell and normal blood pressure levels returned, Paddy chuffed, "Well fellas, I'm going to tell you something you're not going to like.

"I've been told by a very reliable source (everyone at the table knows Paddy's source is his neighbour Tom, who thinks he knows everything about everything) the Council has no intentions of putting a roundabout in there before 2015 and even then there's no iron-clad guarantee it'll ever get built.

The remarks that flowed after that announcement are not fit for publication.

Paddy continued, "My source has it on very good authority a roundabout at that intersection is on the list of things to think about at council's meeting on Tuesday, but sure as eggs they'll vote along the lines of let's do nothing until 2015 and then we'll have another think about it."

Paddy then sought and was granted an early leave pass. He was taking his good wife out for dinner for his birthday. Thoughtful bloke our Paddy is.

The session wound up shortly after Paddy's departure with all and sundry heading off to their respective abodes, However, Charlie (also known as 'The Prince') had one final shot across the bow.

"Oi, lads, I reckon Paddy's pulling our legs. You all know what today the 17th, is, don't you."