Local man Brandan Phipps, 42, was last night affectionately referred to as “young fella” at the RSL by a bloke who remembers when meat trays were 50 cents, and Vietnam was trending.
When Phipps approached the bar to order a pot of Carlton, he was greeted by 78-year-old Ray “Knackers” Thompson.
“How ya goin’, young fella? Havin' a win?” Thompson asked Phipps.
“I’ll take that over being called ‘sir’ by some teenager at JB Hi-Fi,” Phipps told The Bendigo Standard.
Witnesses say Knackers later called a 56-year-old local “champ,” a 34-year-old bartender “love,” and a pokie machine “ya bastard”.
The incident marks the third time this month Phipps has felt unexpectedly validated by someone who has outlived five prime ministers and a Holden dealership.
