The baby scribes over at NewsWire have a heads up yarn on the infamous Carmen being in town.
When we were a baby scribe, in fact when we were a wannabe scribe, in the summer of '79, one of the first stories we ever wrote for the Mount Cook Messenger was about Carmen and her coffee shop and the characters who gathered at the very late night haunt.
We got on famously.
A few weeks later, the father of BB and some other fisheries big wigs were in town for a Royal Commission on the importation of Man Ho rope for fishing. Donaghys had an importation monopoly and the rope they sold was crap and expensive. Dad and the fisheries big wigs won anyway. Dad paid me to be secretary and take notes for the day.
So there was an imperative to celebrate. Lots.
So off we went - Me, aged 18 and five old blokes. We had dinner at Des Brittens and then the boys who were getting a bit tanked decided that they needed to see more of the big smoke. So it was off down Vivian Street.
Anyway we are about 15 yards from Carmen's who is standing at the door enticing people to enjoy her unique hospitality.
She spies BB and her eyes light up in instant recognition.
"Tina, how are you she purred. Ohh look you have brought some loverly boys for me to play with" Come in , boys , come in...."
And to this day I am sworn to secrecy about the rest of the events of that evening.....
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Ended up at Carmen's party last night at Hope Brothers. It was a hoot. Best line of the night when one of the girls was introducing another: . "She looks like Mama, but is hung like Papa."
There were heaps of Maori there, but I was definitely a minority.
Ah Tina, the Balcony was a place where 10 bob bought you a coffee and a full nights entertainment watching the strangers react to Trevors `girls`. She is still Taumarunuis biggest and most famous export. God Bless her.
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