Melbourne Cup Day

1 November Tuesday, Day 20

This was Melbourne Cup Day today and the whole ward was bustling 繁喧.  

Melbourne Cup Day is dubbed 叫作 the day that stops the nation, which is very true.  Almost all offices across Australia stop work closer to the time of the main race at 3pm to celebrate the event. Everybody will gather in places where there is a TV, have tea or party and watch the main race.  Many will place a bet or enter into a sweep to try their luck.  A sweep is a lottery in which each ticket holder is matched with a randomly drawn horse (you can’t pick your horse in a sweep). The race is televised live and it is estimated that it has an audience of about 650 million people worldwide.  This is about 10% of the world’s population.

I remember at work, a colleague would go around in the office and ask each and every one of us to enter into a sweep. When 3pm came, all stopped work, gathered in the TV room, had some snacks and watched the race. I rarely bet and I am not interested in horse racing.  However, when in Rome, do as the Romans do 入鄉隨俗.  So do I.

In our ward, those who rarely left their rooms or even beds would get up and walk to the TV room, not to miss the race. My walking frame was thus confiscated 徵用 and given to an old guy. I think the physiotherapist was trying to use the race to persuade 說服 him to get up and walk.

So, gone was my walking frame and part of my freedom. This started my confinement 休禁期 to the room.