The Short Story of a
short Tony Mikus, by Tony Mikus
Ancient History 1940’s
& 50’s
I was born of
Lithuanian parents in Bamberg, Germany in the Provence of Bavaria in a
Displaced Persons Camp in April 1946. I was baptised Antanas Eimutis Mikutavičius. My older brother was born in 1943 in Lithuania. My
younger sister was also born in Bamberg in 1948, which was then in the American
Sector of post-war Germany.
Sometime early
in 1949 we went by train to Venice, Italy to immigrate to the USA. As a result
of a rumour throughout the transit camp, many prospective immigrants including
my parents refused transportation to America. My parents then took up the
option to migrate to Australia instead. We arrived Sydney in November 1949, where
I spent my first 8 weeks at the quarantine station on North Head in Sydney due
to a bout of Scarlet Fever while steaming across the Indian Ocean. Early 1950 we
ended up in a Migrant Camp in Greta NSW, and fairly soon after, we were
relocated to the Bathurst Migrant Camp in NSW.
After my
father served the then compulsory two years of Commonwealth assigned work on
the Caltex Oil Refinery at Kurnell (Southern Sydney) we moved to rental
accommodations in Sefton (Western Sydney) in early 1952, then soon moved to
Croydon (Inner-West Sydney), then Punchbowl and finally to Bankstown (both
South-Western Sydney) in 1954 where the family lived until the late 1970’s. I
started primary school at Croydon (Catholic), followed by Punchbowl (Public),
Bankstown (Catholic) and then Burwood (Catholic). I began High School in 1959
at this same school that went as far as The Intermediate (Burwood Christian
Brothers). I matriculated from Lewisham Christian Brothers; both schools are in
the Inner-West of Sydney. Reflecting the Catholic Church trend, Burwood closed
its doors at the end of 2010. Lewisham now has no teaching Brothers.
Growing Up in the 50’s & 60’s
In 1956, we
became naturalized Australians. I became known as Tony (legally I have stayed
as Antanas) but I have always been known as Tony. Mikutavicius became Mikus by
taking the first 3 letters and last 2 and chopping out the middle 7. Thus saving
me a lifetime of spelling m-i-k-u-t-a-v-i-c-i-u-s, and explaining that the ‘c’
should have a little tick on the top (č) telling everyone that it should be
pronounced as ‘ch’ in mi-k-u-t-a-v-i-ch-i-u-s. This is obvious to about 4 -5
million Lithuanians worldwide but not so intuitive to anyone else.
Notable
achievements at school were being School Captain for the last one-and-a -half
years at Burwood as well as Dux in year 3 (Intermediate), above average
swimmer, a handy Rugby League player and getting a Teacher’s College
Scholarship to Sydney University after matriculation in 1963. Somewhere between
the end of year 2 at Burwood and the beginning of year 4 at Lewisham I
discovered girls, cigarettes, beer and SP betting (and actually in that order
as I recall it). At Lewisham I was considered quite a rebel, but still rated Vice-Captain
by student popular pressure and was close to the top academically. I bombed a bit bellow expectations in the
final exams as I was getting bored, but still got the scholarship. We didn’t
learn anything in Year 5 other than become experts in doing previous years
Leaving Certificate papers. Except in Physics, but that is another story.
I was talked
into doing Arts at Sydney Uni in 1964, switched to part-time Science in 1965,
and was floundering with indecision until I was accepted into ASOPA (Australian
School of Pacific Administration) in 1966. A point of interest here was that I
received 2 telegrams on the same day: the first at about 9:15am from the
Commonwealth regarding ASOPA, the second from the Army (also the Commonwealth)
at about 3:45pm being called up for Vietnam. Luckily the 6 hours difference saved
me with a deferment based on the timing. I was later deferred again at the end
of 1967 when we were just days from going to TPNG. I was called up again at the
end of 1970. When I returned to Australia from TPNG I again avoided the formal call-up,
and would rather not disclose, in writing, how that situation eventuated.
ASOPA & TPNG
After the 2
years at ASOPA I ended up in Bugandi High School in Lae for Prac Teaching in
November 1967, spent several weeks in Goroka for in-service training in January
1968, then posted to Kerowagi High. But I ended up at Mt Hagen High School for
the early part of 1968, as there was no housing for me at Kerowagi. At Kerowagi
in 1968 I taught my core of Science and Maths as well as everything else that
Bob Cochrane threw at me. 1969 & 70 I was Maths & Science Head Teacher
and Sports Master. Peter Cornelius and Wayne Rudall were with me at Mt Hagen
and Wayne later showed up at Kerowagi in 1969. I had intermittent contact with
Peter Cornelius and Bob Cochrane over the years. I ran into Keith Parker once
or twice in the 70’s and Paul Steinmuller once also in the 70’s. Beyond that I
have always had fond memories of the years at ASOPA and TPNG
The 70’s
The 70’s were
a mix of studies that I didn’t really enjoy and jobs of no particular
consequence once I got the hang of things. I typically start something, get to
understand it and then get bored with it. In 1971 I was accepted into Dentistry
at the Uni of NSW but about a week into classes I was also offered Pharmacy at
Sydney Uni and switched. During 1972 and 1973 I realised I didn’t want to count
pills for the rest of my life and converted my degree to Chemistry. In 1974 I
was working part time at British Petroleum while completing my requirements for
Industrial Chemistry.
In July/August
of 1978 I went on a tour of the US and Canada as the manager of the
Australian-Lithuanian Volley Ball team where I re-met my future wife in
Chicago. I had known her and her family since 1953. She had been a close friend
with my sister but she and her parents re-emigrated to the USA in 1964.
On return to
Sydney I took a job with Fairfax Newspapers (in 1978) working on the
implementation of a very early mainframe computer system and then went on to a
subsidiary of Ansett Airlines involved with the integration of systems with
TNT, then part of the same corporate group. The niche skill I developed rather
by accident during this time was the ability to facilitate meaningful
conversations between the software engineer-nerds and the system buyers (read management)
and user groups. So I was a German-born Lithuanian translating the English
language for Americans, Canadians and Australians.
Marriage, Family & the USA
1980-82
Towards the
end of 1980, my future wife (Gen or Jen) took up my invitation to re-visit
Sydney. We were married in Lidcombe (Western Sydney) on February 28th
1981. Our Daughter Jacinta was born December 22nd of the same year.
Those challenged to make arithmetical calculations at this point will probably
be disappointed. But who really cares?
In July 1982 we went on a trip to Chicago to visit Gen’s mum and other relatives and friends of hers to show off baby Jacinta. We originally planned a 4-week trip that was extended to 3 months, and then actually ended up being a stay of over 19 years (Yes, years). Our first son Vince was born in February 1984, followed by Viktor in June 1988. All three kids are dual citizens as Gen was a US citizen and I remained an Australian.
In July 1982 we went on a trip to Chicago to visit Gen’s mum and other relatives and friends of hers to show off baby Jacinta. We originally planned a 4-week trip that was extended to 3 months, and then actually ended up being a stay of over 19 years (Yes, years). Our first son Vince was born in February 1984, followed by Viktor in June 1988. All three kids are dual citizens as Gen was a US citizen and I remained an Australian.
Jacinta took
up the flute at the age of 6, and that has been her passion and career ever
since. We bought her a flute the day after she stated, “I just like the sound
of it” in response to me teasing her that she was trying to copy an older new friend.
She mixes both performance and teaching music and is completely freelance in
both spheres. She performs regularly with the Sydney Metropolitan and Penrith
Orchestras, has played at the Opera House and some of her students have been
high achievers with The Voice and similar venues.
Vince
indicated his life’s passion even earlier, when at the age of 4 he grabbed the
steering wheel of my car in the middle of Chicago. We just barely missed an
oncoming brewery truck. Later he explained that he needed to feel how the
steering wheel worked. Soon after we discovered him at birthday function facility
giving coins to other kids to go on rides while he lay on the floor to observe
the mechanisms. I taught him to drive a manual RX-7 by the age of 9. He is now
a mechanic, gear-head, and a racing and rally car driver.
Our youngest
Viktor is a bit like his Dad, Jack-of-all-trades, master of several, passion
for none, but driven to know more about everything that interests him.
He can play a
trumpet, do stage sound and lighting, co-ordinate productions, build
personalised PC platforms, troubleshoot technology, particularly mobile phones
and all their cousins, cook, and much more. But as yet he hasn’t translated his
capabilities into an “acceptable” career path. Looks like he will have a
multi-career life. Now in 2013, he has decided to pursue an earlier interest in
all things Japanese. I only encourage him to finish “something” so he has an
economic fall-back capability. He’s done well in Tech-support and Mobile sales
but dislikes both. He sounds a bit familiar to me.
Wife 1946 – 2013 (Met in 1953,
married in 1981)
My wife Gen
graduated High School from Santa Sabina Catholic College in Strathfield
(Western Sydney) in 1962. Her family history is very similar to mine;
Lithuanian parents, born in Buxtehude, Germany in a Displaced Persons camp,
emigrated on Australia in 1949. Our families got to know each other in 1953/54 while
getting established in Bankstown. In 1963/64 she studied Fine Arts at East
Sydney Technical College and graduated with a degree in Fashion Design at the
Art Institute in Chicago. During the 1970’s she established a career in Fashion
Retail in Chicago as well as picking up several Fashion Industry awards. Her
main skill was to make clothes that really fit for special occasions in a true
craftsman-like manner. She kept this up through to her last days making
performance outfits for our daughter and some of her friends. In the early
90’s, she made a substantial contribution towards our mortgage by running a
silk-screen business out of the basement. This was discontinued after she developed
Breast Cancer in 1995. The cancer re-surfaced as bone cancer in her spine.
Successful radiation treatment put that into remission until 2006 when it
started popping up in various skeletal locations. In late 2012 it showed up in
her brain leading to her death 26th March 2013 at age 67. On
February 28th 2013 we had celebrated our 32nd Wedding
Anniversary but had known each other for nearly 60 years. And I miss her every day, and sometimes all
day.
After we
moved to the Blue Mountains in 2009, she widened her Beading hobby that she
began in 2003, to also incorporate hand made jewellery using wiring techniques
and opal in its base rock. During these years we made several visits to
Lightning Ridge where we both found it to be very intriguing.
Chicago & other possibilities
1982 -2001
Chicago in
the early 1980’s was a tough business and job environment, so initially we
tried an Australiana Import business (Sheepskin garments, Opals, stuffed Koalas
and the like.) We were only moderately successful, so with grandmother looking
after the 2 kids, we both started working casual at The International Academy
of Merchandising and Design as Administrators. We later both went on to lecturing
there as well. I started a degree in Computer Science in 1986. I figured that
computers would be a never-ending challenge without becoming boring. I was
wrong but it did keep me going for the better part of 20 years. I completed a
4-year degree in 2 years and 8 months while also working full time as the
Evening School Manager at the Academy. I finished my degree early June 1988,
Viktor was born June 30th, graduation was early July and I was
contracted to Ameritech (The $60 Billion Regional Telephone Company) by the end
of July 1988. I stayed with them until 1996 (8 years) being the longest I ever
did the one thing. I became a bit of a
Techie wiz with expertise in integrating new and old technologies both at the
hardware and software levels. For the next 5 years I became an independent
consultant travelling all over the US, some Europe (UK, the Netherlands,
Denmark, Malta) and Saudi Arabia. We very nearly ended up in both Denmark &
Malta as a family but decided that the kids continue in the very excellent
school system they were in Lemont, Illinois. I was also offered a fulltime
position in Saudi Arabia but declined on cultural grounds (no beer allowed). I
did imbibe some scotch via Dutch friends while there, but that is another
story.
We had moved
from Chicago in 1990 to Lemont Illinois that is about 50 miles (85 K) southwest
of Chicago. Between 1982 and late 2001 I managed to visit 40 of USA’s 50 states
either through work or several of our family’s long road trips. The USA is a
very grand and scenic country. Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon (for example)
cannot be adequately photographed; they need to be experienced.
At the end of
1999 the family visited Sydney for 4 weeks and this trip laid the seeds for our
eventual return to Australia. At this time I was working in Saudi Arabia and
returning to Chicago for a month after each 3-month work stint. On each home
visit I found that the economy and job (gig) opportunities were getting worse.
And Gen had become medically uninsurable. The second mortgage was very painful.
I finished up in Saudi mid-April 2000 and soon picked up a contract in Seattle
but only making half of what I had been making in Saudi. We eventually decided
in early 2001 to move back to Sydney.
Back to Oz 2001
Gen, Jacinta
and Vik travelled to Sydney in August 2001. Vince & I stayed in Chicago to
finalize our affairs. I was still working on a short-term contract. I was
scheduled to fly to Dallas on business on the morning of September 11 and was
verifying my flight details on the computer with the TV on the news in the next
room when the madness in New York and Washington happened. In my opinion the US
has not got over this. The people understand that the formal retaliation of
invading Iraq and Afghanistan didn’t work, feel that an “appropriate” response
should be made, but collectively have no consensus on what it should have been.
Vince and I eventually made it to Sydney in early October 2001, but drove the
Chicago to Los Angeles segment.
Naively I
thought that with my experience in computers and telecommunications I would
just walk into a job. Not in Australia. With savings ebbing away I
re-established my Teaching qualifications, adding my degrees and ended up with
a Maths Head Teachers job at Sydney Secondary College (Glebe High School) as a
relief to a guy going on a sabbatical to New York. 2004 – 2007 I got a job
heading up an IT department in a US/International reinsurance company through a
friend in St Louis, then did some short term contracts as a Technical Project
Manager in the Pharmaceutical Industry around Sydney.
By the end of
2009 we were empty nesters, Gen’s health was deteriorating, and feeling stupefied
by corporate Australia, became semi-retired and moved to Hazelbrook in the Blue
Mountains. Semi-retired means doing some relief teaching in the Blue Mountains
and Penrith areas until early 2011 when I had to take care of Gen fulltime.
Jacinta lives in Chatswood, Vince in Blacktown and Vik in Haberfield. All are
single, but Vik is into a long-term relationship with a petite blonde Katee. I
now live in a reclusive small house with tall trees and a garden setting in
Woodford, still in the Blue Mountains.
Not hiding, just being peaceful and contemplating my navel. Often I walk
the two minutes to the National Park and hike. Still doing some trend research
and analysis for several friends back in the US. These days I enjoy a Port as
much as I used enjoy a beer but not too much of either.
Cheers all
PS Planning to go Grey-Nomad in the spring of 2014 for a long
time
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