36 He disagreed with everything we were doing but, since he was only one out of eleven, I did not think he was a problem. All the rest were 100% in support. I worked very hard to ensure success of the project. I estimated that the ‘Fun Fresh Day’ would raise a minimum of $65,000. Everything looked rosy, and I kept in touch with the boy’s parents. I told them we would raise enough money to purchase limbs for their son. I was so happy with the progress, and I felt that the person against it had no hope of destroying the project, until I found out that he had convinced two big market businessmen. One of them was a member of the Lions Club, who had been away during the preparation of the project. I now had three very good persuaders lobbying the other ten Committee members not to give their support. I could not believe these three men would do such a thing but slowly, slowly, each Committee member pulled out with no explanation, except for one who represented the Mushroom Industry, Mick O’Brien. I went personally to meetings of different associations to appeal to them not to let the boy down, with no success. My last appeal was at a meeting of the Vegetable Association. That was my last chance to keep the project alive. It was a night meeting at the market. I spoke to them all, trying to make them emotional towards the boy. The President, Robert Allen, told me to ring for the vote result when I reached home. I did and the reply was that the support was lost. It was like the sky had fallen on my head and squashed me. I burst out crying, and reached out for a bottle of Scotch, and had the strongest one I have had in my life. My wife was in the kitchen. I went over to her, saying my battle was lost, and we both cried. Next morning, at the Market, I told all the supporters the ‘Fresh Day’ was off. It was a Friday and, on my arrival home, I lay down but could not go to sleep. I did not want to ring the boy’s parents and tell them the bad news. I was worried because the boy would not get the limbs that I had promised. While I was lying there, a message came to my mind, saying “do not panic, there is an alternative; forget the people in the ‘Fresh’ industry, go to the public”. I could not get that message out of my head.