I passed a cemetary today.
It brought back a memory. I attended a funeral, here, some 30 years ago.
The cemetary is not big, and I knew the rough vicinity where the grave would be.
Using, https://www.gmct.com.au/deceased, I was able to pinpoint the exact location of Adam.
When I met Adam, he was already an old man, and retired.
He would have been 66 years old. I was 16.
Adam, and his friend, Stan, decided to start a Table Tennis Club.
They had been provided a free room, and a table tennis table, at the local Clinic.
Humble beginnings.
My mother had seen an advert in the local paper looking for players. She encouraged me to attend.
The Table Tennis Club became my refuge during my teenage years.
My pocket money for picking up my dog's poop was $2.
That was enough money for the weekly table tennis fee.
I was playing 3 days a week.
The Club went from 1 table, to 2.
Members increased, and so did the Skill level of the Club.
Adam was instrumental in using his Community connections, and political ability, to encourage facilities to provide affordable rent.
We upgraded, from the Clinic, to a Hall that could fit 8 tables.
Here, we were able to join the local area Table Tennis Association.
This enabled us to play against other Clubs in the district.
So, this meant once a week after school, I would run home, drop off my bag, run to the Club, practice, run home, have dinner, then go play a competitive match.
It helped with all the teenage stresses.
Then, the club outgrew the Hall.
Adam organised a meeting at my High School.
Bringing me into the meeting, he emphasised how important it was for the local youth to have access to sports.
This prompted the school to provide discounted rent so that the fees could remain small for members, especially, young people.
Here, we must have had close to 20 tables in action.
There were 2 sessions, before 6pm for young people, and after 6pm for all people.
At this stage, Adam took a backseat and retired from running the table tennis club.
I didn't realise that he suffered from emphysema.
His wife, Anna, encouraged me to come visit after he couldn't leave the house too often. He was pretty much on oxygen most of the time.
He said he needed help doing his Taxes.
But, really, I think he enjoyed telling me his stories.
Adam was a Prisoner of War.
His experience was less horrid than what Anna had experienced.
The German Commandant that he worked for took a liking to Adam. Adam had reminded the Commandant of his son. Thereby, providing him office bound tasks as Adam was an artist, and an intellect.
It was Adam's intention to write a letter to the German Government. He believed that they owed all of the POW's reimbursement for all of the slavery that was used to fuel the war.
Unfortunately, his energy just wasn't there anymore.
Adam had many books on Travel and History. Music and Art.
He introduced me to Esoteric Christianity.
This got me looking for the deeper meanings within Christianity. The writings of Annie Besant and Krishnamurti.
The funny thing, with an old married Polish couple, is the battle they wage between each other.
Adam would talk until he got tired. Then he would excuse himself to bed.
Anna would then settle him in bed, close the door, and act as, Chief-Editor, to add HER version of what I had just been told.
The heaviest weight upon Adam's heart was the death of 3 Jewish boys during World War 2.
These 3 young men were stopped by German soldiers, and questioned.
Adam was used as an interpreter.
He tried to protect the men by telling the Germans that they were just students travelling.
The Germans did not believe this.
So, the Germans shoved meat hooks under their throats, and hung them.
Before this atrocity, one of the men accused Adam of betraying them!
Before Adam passed away, he whispered to Anna,
Do you think they have forgiven me?
