Ian Nicol

From the past:

"I spent three weeks playing scrabble and 500 before anyone asked me (while in the morning line-up for the malaria tablets) what I was doing [here in Viet Nam]..."

2004

My best days at ABHS were playing Rugby apart from the belting we received at the hands of Homebush. There was that blond haired front rower who must have repeated the Leaving Certificate at least 10 times, thick as two planks but took joy out of belting the crap out of me the half back. Thank you forwards for the protection in the line-outs!!! If I could remember who you were I would instruct Slater and Gordon to act on my behalf.

After leaving in 1964 after the LC I followed my “dirt farmer” trait and went jackeroo’ing for three years. Yes it took me three years to realise there was no future in agriculture unless Kerry Packer (probably Frank Packer at the time) was your old man. So much for the insignia “Grow in Wisdom”. I was off to study Agriculural Economics at Sydney Uni when I was called up for National Service. I could have deferred however I thought I may as well see the world at the taxpayers expense. I went to Singelton for recruit training, joined Artillery Core and went to North Head, then to Kanungra for bastardry training and finally to South Head awaiting deployment as a rio (replacement for someone wounded) to the Nam. I was finally sent to SVN in September 1969 on a 707 doing it in style. The good thing was the army paper work didn’t follow me. I arrived at Nui Dat and nobody was expecting me. I spent three weeks playing scrabble and 500 before anyone asked me (while in the morning line-up for the malaria tablets) what I was doing. If it wasn’t for the malaria tablets I could have lasted at least a couple of months incognito. Anyway I spent 12 months in SVN, went to Bangkok for R&R (screwing practice) and then returned to Enoggera in Brisbane.

From then I went to Sydney University for a year, (yes still agricultural science- The “Grow in Wisdom” had still not kicked in), met my wife Susan and got married in 1972, first child in 1973 (Michael), joined BP in late1973. No more Uni until 1977-1982 when in Canberra while working with BP I obtained a degree in Economics from ANU. (Majors in Accounting and Economics). Two more children during the 70’s Stephen in 1976 and Vanessa 1977.

Finally the “Grow in Wisdom” had kicked in and I had given agriculture the flick. No more “Dirt Farmer” for me.

I spent 12 years with BP in various Marketing roles before I made a career change to IT. I left BP in 1985, worked with the Pratt Group of companies for two years and then joined Caltex. I have been with Caltex for 16 years in various IT and system development roles. I am currently Marketing Systems Manager at Caltex with responsibilites for Caltex Australia and South East Asia.

We have two grandsons and another on the way. Our children are all great human beings and can drink me under the table. (including the daughter.)

I have a conference in Singapore with ChevronTexaco (Caltex parent company) on the 31st July however I am trying to get the agenda changed which would allow me to come back on the Friday night so I can see you desperate’s on the 31st.