Acupuncture

Brenton, the neighbor, and I drove to Innisfail yesterday for an acupuncture treatment from a friend I had met at book club: Ronnie.

We didn’t go to Julatten or Mareeba, Kurranda or Chillagoe. Missed Yarrabah, Millaa Millaa and Mourilan..(I just love these names!) Instead we drove along the south ocean road, highway 1, which winds its way through the huge sugar cane and bananas trees waiting to be harvested, and along the base of the rolling green hills. I recognized the big water tank at Babinda as Vas and I were there just a few days ago looking for the illusive market. Less than an hour after Babinda, Brendon and I arrived in Innisfail, just in time to catch a call from Ronny.

There on the conservative streets of this relatively old, European flavoured, bustling little town, we spotted a guy in a brilliant yellow linen shirt, with matching red, green and yellow-stripped flowing trousers and a shock of white hair, talking on his cell phone; to me. (Think Man-Woman without the tatoos) I put my phone away and hollered “Ronnie!”, but he didn’t respond and instead tucked his phone in the pocket of his man-purse and started rapidly off down the street in the opposite direction: to meet me.

You would think that it would be easy to follow a fellow that 1: is dressed all in yellow, 2: that is in a hurry to meet you at a spot of your choosing and 3: is over 70 years old: but no. He kept disappearing into the crowds and through doorways. Brendon and I had just started to figure out that we were lousy at Where's Waldo? and were a little out of breath when we finally caught up with him.

Ronny was slick, and must be some smooth talker because before I knew it I was laying on a blanket beside a big Australian river, just at the end of the main street, and my side kick was nowhere in sight. I let the yellow guru place the long, thin needles strategically in the back of my legs and across my lower back. He told me to relax. Ya right!? And then 20 minutes later he had me roll over and placed one in my head, a second in my ear, another in my hand and the last right below my belly button and told me breathe deep: stick out my tummy.. then my chest..

Apparently I did pretty well. When I woke up, the aboriginal couple at the picnic table behind us had apparently been up to mischief and two ambulance attendants were dressing a large wound on a drunken woman’s head, as a small crowd gathered around the ambulance to catch a look. Ronny looked at me: “you didn’t hear all the cursing and fighting?”

I was maybe 20 feet away but had missed all the action!

Maybe I am used to the sound of aboriginal people making noise: truly Balgofied!

More impressive was the fact that I was also missing all the pain I have been in for the past two months! And on top of that, I felt happier than I have been in a very long time! Just a feeling of euphoria.

Brenton drove home. I actually had to keep reminding myself that I hadn’t been drinking. Life is just better with acupuncture. I tried to tell him a few jokes, but started laughing so hard before I finished them that I forgot the punch lines.

I love Australia and good friends like Brenton and Ronny. However, acupuncture is my new best friend!

Why didn't I know about this!!?