We all know what it's like to meet someone briefly then immediately regret not swapping contact details. That happened to Mark at the Auckland On Water Boat Show. "I was working on a stand when I caught the eye of a woman about1.6m tall, on her own, with grey hair and wearing a black and off-white striped top, who was browsing nearby. She was about to disappear, then she turned and approached me. I showed her our free magazine and we spoke briefly before she walked away. If I play the 'What does she do for a living?' game I would guess she is a schoolteacher or academic. If she would like to respond, could she please contact Sideswipe in the first instance. I would enjoy continuing our conversation."
Graffiti amended
Readers share memories of messages that were humorously updated
1. Written on a wall in Symonds St a few years ago - a list of luxury cars. Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, BMW ... and underneath someone had written "Skoda".
2. During the reign of PM Muldoon there was a piece of graffiti on the side of a wall somewhere that said: "Rob Muldoon before he robs you ... "
3. Years ago we were driving between Taupo and Turangi and as we came by Bulli Point there was a large rock on the side of the road and someone had painted "Jesus Saves" on it in large letters. When we came back next time someone had added "So does Frank van Hattum" (a former New Zealand All Whites goalkeeper).
4. In a toilet in Wellington in the All Blacks Stu Wilson era: "What would you do if Jesus returned to Earth?" Underneath some wag wrote: "I'd move Wilson to centre and play him on the wing".
Parents will get this reference
5. Many years ago a large sign by the on-ramp to the M4 in Sydney's West read: "Police aerial surveillance monitoring speed". To which "Pigs in Space" was added underneath.
6. In the UK in the 1980s there were lots of signs dotted around saying "Free Nelson Mandela". Underneath one of them someone had written, "with every 10 gallons of petrol".
7. Back in the 70s there was much political comment in the form of graffiti. The large concrete retaining walls in Wellington were often adorned with such comment. There are two that stay with me. "Matt Rata reads comics" to which had been added "He'd like to but he can only manage the pictures" and "Piggy Muldoon drinks Keith Holyoake's bath water".
8. On a wall in Parnell near the Domain in the 80s, "Come back Frank, it's all right - it was only a rash" was scrawled. And on a flyover wall in Eden Terrace: "Hands up all the policemen that really like smoking dope."
10. Many years ago there was a Falling Debris warning sign in the Karangahake Gorge, which to the delight of our children (and doubtless other travellers) was carefully altered to read Falling Zebras.
Picture this: "It was a bit disconcerting to see Richie McCaw looking through my bedroom window," writes Chris from Papakura. "Shouldn't he be busy training?"
Picture this: "This photo of five Secret Service agents bracing themselves against helicopter prop wash...It's like they're each individually posing for their own super-boss album cover," says Jason Kottke of kottke.org.??
News-ish: Tokyo dating site registered 2.8 million men, 1 woman....
Anon
Video: A wonderful vocational montage of 80s modelling advice...
