KEITH T. DENNETT | New South | CONTACT
A coal mining veteran from the town of Singleton is hard at work this afternoon, doing his best to convince a telehealth professional that he hasn’t been bitten by the Sydney Sneeze.
Sitting comfortably in his Paramount powered recliner sofa, with one eye on the cricket and only half an attention on the phone, Dennis Liddell (52), is believed to be reassuring a concerned health professional that he hasn’t got any flu-like symptoms.
“Nah I’ve been coughing like this for years love!,” said Mr Liddell in between fits of barking that would frighten a Rottweiler.
“Don’t go stressing out and thinkin’ this little tickle I’ve got is anything unusual, it’s just the way I talk.”
After several minutes on the phone to a trained medical professional with over 10 years experience in caring for patients, it’s understood Mr Liddell has waved away any concerns that he or his immediate family member’s could be in danger.
Instead, Mr Liddell is believed to be blaming his constant cough on years of living and working in a region nationally recognised for its poor air quality and alarming levels of toxic pollutants.
After spending a weekend at the Broadmeadow races, it’s believed Mr Liddell is doing his best to downplay the very real threat that he might be the one that’s brought Omicron to town.
“There’s no need to be worried, I’ve had my one jab and that’s all I need,” said Mr Liddell.
“Where are you callin’ from? Sydney Aye!
“See we’re a bit tougher than you lot up here in the Hunter, you Sydney folk complain about city smog like you live in Beijing but it’s nothing compared to what we’ve been gasping up the last 25 years!”
“You want pollution, try breathing in a fresh cloud of soot when they fire up Bayswater Power Station after the Christmas shutdown, that’ll put a tickle in your throat alright.”
More to come.
