Special thanks to our Great Aussie Pubs member The Duke of Brunswick for the use of their great location set.
T’was a stormy night in the outback
And the word had gathered round
That someone known from sea to shore
Had newly arrived in town.
Gathered in the town’s quaint pub
The front door blew open wide
And there, stood in the doorway
Was the proof that he’d arrived.
He strode to the bar, his eyes agleam
And to the bartender he said,
“On orange juice, please” he smiled and
winked,
“A beer might go to my head”.
He said, “I’m Jono the Pub Whisperer”
And his name was known to them all
For they’d seen him on the TV and internet
But in real life he wasn’t quite as tall.
And the word had gathered round
That someone known from sea to shore
Had newly arrived in town.
Gathered in the town’s quaint pub
The front door blew open wide
And there, stood in the doorway
Was the proof that he’d arrived.
He strode to the bar, his eyes agleam
And to the bartender he said,
“On orange juice, please” he smiled and
winked,
“A beer might go to my head”.
He said, “I’m Jono the Pub Whisperer”
And his name was known to them all
For they’d seen him on the TV and internet
But in real life he wasn’t quite as tall.
|
He stood at the bar and looked around
At the people staring back “G’day folks”, he said politely “I’ve just been on that bumpy track”. “I nearly got bogged on that muddy road But now the storm has passed. Was hoping someone here could cheer me up” He paused. But they were all aghast! Strangers weren’t always so open, A tough exterior was usually the norm. But Jono didn’t really care. A smile meant he was in good form. The town folk all just looked at him Until Pete, the butcher, spoke up, “Hey mate, why are you so happy?” he quizzed. “Did you and your Mrs just break up?” |
A hearty laugh erupted throughout
As Jono paused meekly
Then looked into Pete’s eyes and said,
“Well aren’t you just bloody cheeky.”
“As a matter of fact, I’m here to make sure
No one is in pain tonight.
I’m the Pub Whisperer and that means
I’m here to listen, not get in a fight”.
“Everyone makes mistakes, it’s true
and everyone has a story to tell,
I’m here to provide a confidential ear
To help anyone going through hell”.
The crowd sat still, no one moved
They didn’t know what to think
About the man who seemed to care
And he didn’t even want to drink.
“Suicide,” exclaimed Jono, “is on the rise.
And I’m pretty sure I know how we can beat it.
I believe the answer lies in each of us,
To rise on up and meet it.”
With a flash, he pulled out from his jacket
coat
A pad of paper and a pen.
“Here”, he said to the crowd before him
“I want you to try and be caring men.”
“It’s true, no one has dared me to do it,
But I’ll do it all the same.
Take this pen and paper now,
And write something in your mate’s name.”
“Tell your mate something you like about him
Make it big and make it bold
Then once your finished, give it to him.
Let’s do these things, before we get too old.”
“Then once that’s done, give this pen to
someone else”
As Jono handed out the paper,
“We spend a lot of time here, feeling down
It’s better to care, than be a hater.”
The barman had been quiet for all this time,
But called Jono over to him,
Then pointed to a man in the corner,
And said “His future’s looking quite grim”.
“There’s no amount of niceness
That can change his cold demeanour.
And the way he’s been talking lately,
I don’t think he can get much meaner.”
“He’s been talking about ending it all
for quite sometime, you know.
He needs someone new to listen to him
Can you help him, or is it a no go?”
The Pub Whisperer, looked across the mob,
And walked over to the man.
He asked “Are you ok my friend?
I’m here to listen if I can.”
“It may be a TRICKY conversation,
But that stands for something of wealth.
Trust, Respect, Integrity,
Confidentiality, Kindness, and Your good self.”
The man looked up and broke a smile,
“Thank you” he said in a low tone.
An hour went by, a friendship was struck,
Now it was time to get him on the phone.
There was a special number available,
That people could call when doing it tough
To make them feel better, and a sign of hope
And keep them from feeling rough.
The number was dialled, and old mate got to
safety,
No chance of going tonight.
And as the Pub Whisperer turned to leave the
pub,
The bartender said “You’re alright!”
“I’d like to know how you’ve helped our mate.
From going from angry to peaceful and calm.”
The Pub Whisperer rolled his sleeve up.
And flexed his skinny arm.
“We may grow muscles by lifting weights”, he
said
“But we grow powerful by lifting each other.
We’ve all got issues, but we listen without
judgment.
And remember that these issues stem from
our father and mother.”
The pain we feel, is passed down through
generations,
But with him I believe the cycle will end,
If he connects with nature and heals his
trauma,
He can get himself back on the mend.”
“If you want to learn how I do what I do,
I’m happy to train you my friend.
But remember to keep things confidential.
You’re trusted, so don’t let that end.”
“Gossip can be a dangerous thing,
Maybe that’s why your friend hasn’t spoken.
So remember its not ‘She’ll be right’, it’s "Are
ya all right?’”
And the barman looked like he’d been woken.
“We need to care for each other, in the pub,
it’s the hub!
It’s where community meet.
Friends get together, we laugh, we dance,
We sing, we drink we eat.”
But the stats are way up for suicide now
And the pub can be a place to escape.
But drinking can spark some dangerous
thoughts,
In beer, spirits and fermented grape.”
It’s simple, Support Over Suicide,
It’s where healing can begin.
A quiet conversation, prevents a silent death,
As he stared back with a great big grin.
“I’ll come back tomorrow and I’ll train you up,
So I don’t need to come back again.
You’ll know what to say when someone’s in
distress.
And why compassion is what’s needed in us
men.”
“For the ladies too, I won’t discriminate,
But us blokes are doing it hard.
We should try and be less judgmental,
And start in our own backyard.”
The Pub Whisperer: Support Over Suicide. Providing quiet conversations, Preventing silent deaths.
(Illustrations by Ashlin Rose)
Words © The Pub Whisperer
As Jono paused meekly
Then looked into Pete’s eyes and said,
“Well aren’t you just bloody cheeky.”
“As a matter of fact, I’m here to make sure
No one is in pain tonight.
I’m the Pub Whisperer and that means
I’m here to listen, not get in a fight”.
“Everyone makes mistakes, it’s true
and everyone has a story to tell,
I’m here to provide a confidential ear
To help anyone going through hell”.
The crowd sat still, no one moved
They didn’t know what to think
About the man who seemed to care
And he didn’t even want to drink.
“Suicide,” exclaimed Jono, “is on the rise.
And I’m pretty sure I know how we can beat it.
I believe the answer lies in each of us,
To rise on up and meet it.”
With a flash, he pulled out from his jacket
coat
A pad of paper and a pen.
“Here”, he said to the crowd before him
“I want you to try and be caring men.”
“It’s true, no one has dared me to do it,
But I’ll do it all the same.
Take this pen and paper now,
And write something in your mate’s name.”
“Tell your mate something you like about him
Make it big and make it bold
Then once your finished, give it to him.
Let’s do these things, before we get too old.”
“Then once that’s done, give this pen to
someone else”
As Jono handed out the paper,
“We spend a lot of time here, feeling down
It’s better to care, than be a hater.”
The barman had been quiet for all this time,
But called Jono over to him,
Then pointed to a man in the corner,
And said “His future’s looking quite grim”.
“There’s no amount of niceness
That can change his cold demeanour.
And the way he’s been talking lately,
I don’t think he can get much meaner.”
“He’s been talking about ending it all
for quite sometime, you know.
He needs someone new to listen to him
Can you help him, or is it a no go?”
The Pub Whisperer, looked across the mob,
And walked over to the man.
He asked “Are you ok my friend?
I’m here to listen if I can.”
“It may be a TRICKY conversation,
But that stands for something of wealth.
Trust, Respect, Integrity,
Confidentiality, Kindness, and Your good self.”
The man looked up and broke a smile,
“Thank you” he said in a low tone.
An hour went by, a friendship was struck,
Now it was time to get him on the phone.
There was a special number available,
That people could call when doing it tough
To make them feel better, and a sign of hope
And keep them from feeling rough.
The number was dialled, and old mate got to
safety,
No chance of going tonight.
And as the Pub Whisperer turned to leave the
pub,
The bartender said “You’re alright!”
“I’d like to know how you’ve helped our mate.
From going from angry to peaceful and calm.”
The Pub Whisperer rolled his sleeve up.
And flexed his skinny arm.
“We may grow muscles by lifting weights”, he
said
“But we grow powerful by lifting each other.
We’ve all got issues, but we listen without
judgment.
And remember that these issues stem from
our father and mother.”
The pain we feel, is passed down through
generations,
But with him I believe the cycle will end,
If he connects with nature and heals his
trauma,
He can get himself back on the mend.”
“If you want to learn how I do what I do,
I’m happy to train you my friend.
But remember to keep things confidential.
You’re trusted, so don’t let that end.”
“Gossip can be a dangerous thing,
Maybe that’s why your friend hasn’t spoken.
So remember its not ‘She’ll be right’, it’s "Are
ya all right?’”
And the barman looked like he’d been woken.
“We need to care for each other, in the pub,
it’s the hub!
It’s where community meet.
Friends get together, we laugh, we dance,
We sing, we drink we eat.”
But the stats are way up for suicide now
And the pub can be a place to escape.
But drinking can spark some dangerous
thoughts,
In beer, spirits and fermented grape.”
It’s simple, Support Over Suicide,
It’s where healing can begin.
A quiet conversation, prevents a silent death,
As he stared back with a great big grin.
“I’ll come back tomorrow and I’ll train you up,
So I don’t need to come back again.
You’ll know what to say when someone’s in
distress.
And why compassion is what’s needed in us
men.”
“For the ladies too, I won’t discriminate,
But us blokes are doing it hard.
We should try and be less judgmental,
And start in our own backyard.”
The Pub Whisperer: Support Over Suicide. Providing quiet conversations, Preventing silent deaths.
(Illustrations by Ashlin Rose)
Words © The Pub Whisperer