The Adventurer

I kept seeing his stuff on line . Fuck has this guy morphed into something unrecognisable from where he started ?Ok , I didn’t watch everything and sometimes I skimmed through his stuff , hell I know you’d do the same to me . It isn’t personal it’s just how social media works . All those photos of rice patties , pink Indonesian sunsets and foreign lands didn’t seem real . TA was some guy out there on the edge of reality , living out a self fulfilled fantasy of personal discovery . We are all a little jealous , stuck in the grind of working day after day , looking after kids and generally tending after our own nest . You check your phone and here he is again in some far flung part of the world , telling his story . Sometimes you roll your eyes and go ” lucky prick, I haven’t got time to look at this stuff ” , but eventually you scroll back on his adventures and sigh , ” Good on ya Tim “. Yeah I know that guy , “kids have a look at this guy , he used to play for the Saints and he’s now travelling all over the place. “. “Dad we don’t care “. When he contacted me to let me know he was coming over to the States I got a little nervous . I don’t even know why , maybe it was that tinge of excitement that a guy all the way from Tanti Park was gonna meet another of his kind on the other side of the world . Riding a bike from Canada to Mexico , yep I rolled my eyes at that one too , but I was envious . When he rang me to tell me that he was going to ride from Ventura to Hermosa Beach , I thought bullshit . Surely not ? ( think Torquay to Mornington ) . Then the post from Venice Beach . That’s when I realised he was close . I told Emma I wouldn’t go to the kids party , instead I”l check the surf out . I walked down to the 90210 house ( some scenes were filmed here ) and hung on the corner . I gave myself 15 minutes , I didn’t want to stand around too long . It’d look like I was eyeing off every woman who passed, which is pretty easy to do here . 10 minutes passed and I’d had enough , I turned and took a couple of steps and then thought shit I better look around one last time . It’s been an hour since his post so he’s either just been or he must be close . The moment I turned my head I saw his tall frame a good 300 yards away . In dark clothing , bike decked out with bags and other stuff , looking like one of those mad European backpackers that you look at and say “Stupid fuck , better you than me “. As he closes in I suddenly feel a little foolish . Tim must think I’ve been waiting all day for him , like some fan waiting to get a high 5 . He’s almost past me and I still don’t say anything. One side of my brain is pleading for me to yell out , the other is saying keep quiet you look like a dick , that way he won’t see you . ….” Ooooy!” I yell ….” Howieeee , how are ya mate.” Tim replies. Tim and his mate Carl pull over . It’s a little awkward , we shake hands and nearly hug each other until I pull out after seeing his sweat soaked shirt. ” Better not Tim , we’l stick to the handshake “. …….And there it is ; a guy we all know and like back home , riding past our house on his way to Mexico. Weird as … Fuck , Tim Allen who would’ve thought we’d meet again under these circumstances on the other side of the world . I remember running into you at Bensons Square shopping centre in Mornington and telling you of our imminent departure to LA . The next time we meet …… the Strand on Hermosa Beach . No we are not making this up . Later we hit the Pier and have a beer . Beat that shot TA