Son returns to The Village

I came home. Who would have thought? My dad lived in Balmain and he dragged me there on custody visits. Old busses over old bridges - Pyrmont and Glebe Island.

Old buildings and new smells. Colgate Palmolive belching out soap, the container wharves lit like day and crane beeping all night.

A container farm opposite dad's place at Vincent street, threatening to explode and kill everyone.

The smaller container wharf at Mort Bay, with crazy truck routes up Church street - still so narrow that one car at a time can only pass. One day a truck turned hard onto Darling street, and dropped a 20' container on top of a car, killing the driver instantly.

With the sixties lazily becoming the 70's, my dad and I grew further apart. He had his new wife and his local issues to keep him angry. He couldn't break into the circles he coveted, he didn't have the humility to listen. His was a world of ideas and action, in that I am similar, but he demanded an audience. I've earned one, and if I don't listen I get cut down to size.

Balmain didn't feature on my list of places to live. Dad moved a decade ago, until then he would call me and rant about his neighbor, or his council, or his letters to the labor party that went unanswered. I had a disassociation with his suburb. I had a disconnect from him. He is now dead.

So I came home, by accident. I had to move - and Balmain seemed like a good idea. 

My second day, after unpacking and organising myself into my solitary small house, I walked the streets and looked for the downside. The nights were quiet in my street! Erin from across the road introduced herself. So did the other near neighbors.

I don't need the car.

I can walk anywhere.

My puppies meet a lot of dogs - Balmain has a massive K9 population.

And then there is The Oval.

One block away from me is Birchgrove Oval.

This is the view from the hill nearest to my place. It has a picket fence, outside of which is an off leash dog zone. Along the harbor walk is a little beach, and a jetty.

The two playing fields get used all the time - Rugby League and Soccer are on in the cool months.

Friday night parents sit on the hill as their kids practice soccer. Sunday night older guys play an informal game, as the girls sit on the hill and drink wine with dogs running crazy.

At first I couldn't figure out why the happiness level in Balmain was so markedly higher than up at North Turramurra, the tiny village nearest my former home.

Then I realised - people are really happy to live in Balmain.