Four Diamond Stars

 

Almost exactly four years ago I wrote about a homesick teenager who decided to mail himself from Australia to Wales back in the 60’s. Nineteen-year-old Brian Robson had committed to work two years for Victorian Railways, and he had no cash to settle his contract or pay his way home. Two work buddies helped Brian with a hairbrained scheme to ship him back. They packed him into a 3x3x2’ wooden crate with a bottle of water, a flashlight, a pillow and an empty bottle for what they assumed would be a 3-day journey to London. Instead, Brian ended up in Los Angeles five days later, dehydrated, stiff and numb with cold. He ended up flying the rest of the way courtesy of Pan Am. Brian never divulged the names of his accomplices, until now. Brian only remembers their first names: Paul and John, and that they were from Ireland. But he’s hoping to reconnect, and maybe share a pint.