There comes a point late afternoon where everyone at work begins to wind down.
No, we’re not slacking off (honest, boss!) but there is that point where a couple of jokes make their way around the office e-mail and thoughts turn to home.
Today the conversation ended up talking about favourite childhood TV series – the real obscure titles – the ones that screened for only one season, or late on a school afternoon, a fragile piece of television programming that could disappear at any time at the whim of capricious news events or a grown-ups quiz show.
In Australia such TV series would screen in one of two places – Channel 7’s children’s entertainment and educational program Wombat and the state-run ABC who would crib the best from Britain’s BBC (and occasionally ITV).
Oh my, what names emerged:
Famous Five:
Metal Mickey:
The Littlest Hobo:
And then it happened – the full force of nostalgia hit me right in the sola plexus with a yearning which cut so deep that I was transported back in time. I was 12 once more and in love with Oliver Tobias, a dark and dangerous looking man who played Jack Vincent, the eponymous Smuggler and his adventures that would, in one way or another, involve the beautiful and smart Sarah Morton (Lesley Dunlop) in a chaste (it was a children’s show after all) but palpable UST.
I’ve been asked many times what inspired Moonstone Obsession – and I can name several The Scarlet Pimpernel, the work of the Bronte Sisters, the film Amazing Grace.
Now it seems I have to add one more: