Ash Long and Billy Price. Photo: Kay Whittaker
People We Meet: Billy Price
Saturday, December 1, 2018
I like being in the company of Billy Price. We are both the same age. Bill grew up in Preston; I grew up in Reservoir. He went to Preston East State School (Sylvester Grove); I went to Reservoir East State School (Boldrewood Pde). We both lived in Flowerdale; Bill still does.
Bill is a Socialist; I am not. Bill was proudly a member of the now-deregistered Builders Labourers Federation, and soon is going to one of their reunions. He reckons there are not too many BLF members left. The BLF (remember Norm Gallagher of Reservoir?) was finally knocked over in 1986.
Billy has had some knocks in life. He was injured in the workplace. He recently lost his wife. But he keeps challenging people, always with a glint in his eyes. Today he challenged me to buy $20 of tickets in the Flowerdale Community House Open Day raffle, if he did. He reckoned the occasion should be photographed for posterity.
Billy Price is one of the most capable stirrers that I know. The world would be a better place if there were more people like Billy Price.
- Ash Long