The rainbow never sets

oppressively hot air hit us again.

Our George was born on 16 February 1960. Alison had done the washing and cleaning of the house, and as soon as we had gone to bed, her waters broke and we had to go straight to the Sanitarium Hospital in Wahroonga. I was able to sit with Alison through the first stage of labour, then I was whisked out and Alison was wheeled into the delivery ward. They told me it would be at least another hour, so I walked outside into the dawn of the new day with a very strange feeling. Today I was to become a father. What would it be, a boy or a girl? We had agreed on names for both genders, but there was little doubt in my mind that it would be a boy. Then I rushed back into the hospital, I didn't want to miss the arrival of our first one. I didn't have to wait for long. Dr. Schofield, our
G.P., appeared still in his surgical gown: "Congratulations, you have a boy!" "Can I go in and see Alison?"

"Sure, just put a surgical gown on." Next moment I sat by Alison's bed and greeted her and our newborn son. I was so very pleased and thankful that everything had gone well.

Alison greeted me with a tired smile and said: "Only another eleven to go!"

What a thing to say at that moment, I thought. We had read the book 'Cheaper by the Dozen', and whenever people would ask us how many children we wanted, we would always say 'a dozen'. It was good to see that Alison had not lost her sense of humour. I was happy and a very proud father. As was customary in those days, I had to buy some cigars for the men in our office.

George grew daily and filled out visibly into a beautifully looking baby. I had to learn to change his nappy and to give him a bath. It made such a difference to my coming home every evening from the office. I tried my utmost to come home early so that I would still see little George.

Michael wanted me to go on a business trip to Asia and Europe in June. If Alison and George were to go too, we had to pay a refundable security of over £1000 for Alison, to ensure that she would return to Australia. She had come out on a £10 assisted passage, under the condition that she would stay in Australia for at least two years. Alison and George would go straight to London via the U.S. and I would start in Hong Kong, then to India, Pakistan, Egypt and then join her in the U.K.

We left on the same day, Alison and George in the afternoon, and I late the same evening. My first stop was Hong Kong. It was hot and steamy, and as Mike had suggested, I went only with hand luggage, whatever else I needed I should buy in Hong Kong at very cheap prices. I stayed at the Miramar in Kowloon, and Mike's tailor fitted me out with a tropical suit with two trousers and three shirts made of the finest cotton. Other items were added to the purchases, and a suitcase to pack these things, as well as gifts for the family in Germany and England. There were no clients to visit

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