Elation

Last night in the City a woman requested I take her friend home. "He has Downs Syndrome," she said, "so I’ll get you to write down his address and take my phone number in case there’s any problems." She handed over fifty dollars, confirming it was enough to cover the fare.

The passenger had the typical Downs physique-short and stocky-and climbed in the front seat with a friendly, if indecipherable greeting. Wearing a smart grey suit with an elegant flower on the lapel he presented as quite dapper, having just attended his brother's wedding. I judged he was somewhere between twenty and forty years old.

On departure I assumed the trip would be a babysitting exercise, expecting to travel in silence as he quietly looked out the window. Instead, he immediately latched onto the radio program playing in the background. It was the post-match coverage of a rugby league finals fixture.

In a garbled, slurred voice he asked, "Who won ?" Cool, I thought, a footy fan. "Who do you like ?" I asked. A gleaming smile broke across his rounded, cherubic face. "Manly," he replied. "Well mate, it’s good news for you," I told him. "Manly smashed ‘em." "Yes !" he cried, pumping his hands in a double-fisted action.

From thereon in we talked basic football, especially Manly’s win which takes them to their first Grand Final in ten years. With the possibility of them facing the Eels, he revealed that he’d be watching next weekend’s game with a mate, an Eels fan. The prospect of winning a bet on the game, "just for fun", really delighted him. He also nominated Steve Menzies as his favourite player.

What did surprise me was his ability to understand the post-match summation on the radio. Positive comments on Manly’s win elicited agreement and a chuckle. Another revelation was having him guide me over the last stages of the trip. Whilst he didn’t seem to know his ‘left’ or ‘right’, he knew every turn, from habit I guess.

Upon arrival at his home he alighted so quickly I had to call him back for the ten dollar change, about which he seemed genuinely surprised. Realising this I almost jokingly suggested, "Don't tell your mother." 

Otherwise, aside from the fact my passenger was handicapped, this was a largely unremarkable fare, no different from most. Though he was the most civilised Manly fan I carried all night. Understandably, they were drunk as skunks.

Comments

[enkew]

Civilised Manly Fan!!! Oxymoron time!!! There is no such thing a a civilised Manly fan!!! Manly are cheats!!! I hate manly!!! They were always offside, lay too long in the tackle, impeded courageously noble Cowboys players and are bullies!!! I can't stand it any more!!! All you Mexican B******s pick on us all the time!!! Cowboys should have won!!! The referee had one eye, and it was maroon and white!!! I hate NSW!!!

Kindest regards.

!!!

[Bill Steamshovel]

I think Manly will really miss Michael Monaghan. He is a quality half-back and I think its a real shame he's leaving the NRL, considering the shortage of talented NSW half backs. The top three half-backs in the comp are all Queenslanders: Prince, Thurston and Cronk. I think Monaghan would have slotted in well at the Tigers, who are acutely missing the brillance of Prince.

[Aurelius]

Hi Adrian,
I have two adopted Downs siblings, and reading your report, I can picture my brother (21 & a mad Knights supporter) in almost the exact same scenario.
- Aurelius

[Caroline]

I had to serve i.e,'sell' drinks to a group of twenty or so kids with Downes' who came into a restaurant I was working in. I noticed that like us fully blown twits, they all had different attitudes towards handing over their money, the only difference being that they didn't bother trying to mask what was for some a great reluctance to give away something apparently so precious. Some tried quite blatantly to hand over less than the going price, others didn't want to hand over anything while others were quite happy to part with their cash.

I very much like people with Downes' they are always 'real' and invariably refreshing to hang around with for a while.