DAY 50: Ogling workmen

Stuart is shifting soil from one pile to another.

THE first bloom of spring makes a city flush with short-lived friendliness, and I’m no exception. A good mood? Hellzapoppin’, let’s use this thing! Go go go!

It’s a fact that when one pulls on a fluoro vest, one effectively disappears. British photographer Stephen Gill created a series called ‘Invisible’ to bring to our attention the workmen and women under our noses who fade out of view. Stephen himself wears a fluoro jacket when taking pics, because that way nobody notices him angling his lens at them. Crims and stalkers, take note.

I reckon it’s time to give these heroes their moment in the sun, though. True, when I was younger our interaction would be limited to:

“Cheer up darling, it might never happen.”

“Fuck off.”

But that was in England, to be fair – the sun never shines there. So let’s let bygones be bygones.

Armed with my best “heyhowyagoin” and disarming smile, I approach Melbourne’s upkeepers of the Yakka – and god bless em, they all readily agree to pose without question.

Keeper? Yeah! Put me in a great mood, dunno about them. Note: try on PMT day?

Stan, doing the thing with the thing: "I'm KINDA working..."

Mick and Sam are cutting back a bit of lamp post that people keep tripping over. Mick booted Sam in the back: “She wants to take your picture."

Mark is protecting bystanders from flying concrete.

Peter the meter reader. "Do you want my phone number as well?" (x2)