Grahame Wynne is an angry man. And for good reason.
These days it’s about all Mr Wynne can remember, but remember he does.
It was the 1955 Melbourne Cup when Mr Wynne, then a prominent solicitor, was drinking with colleagues in Surry Hills’ Shakespeare Hotel.
Just before racing Grahame looked around at the faces, transfixed on the pub’s solitary TV and uttered the phrase, “It’s the race that stops the nation…”
His mate, Steve Gearin heard and immediately said “Jeez that’s good mate, you should write that down”.
Unfortunately Mr Gearin dropped dead of a heart attack and was unable to corroborate Mr Wynne’s account.
The next day the headline of the Daily Telegraph read “It’s the race that stops the nation”.
Wynne was devastated.
You see, the Shakespeare Hotel is a haunt of journalists, then as it is now from the Tele’s offices down the road in Holt Street.
Wynne suspected a journalist had overheard him and had plagarised his now famous line.
Wynne immediately hit the bottle. Hard. He staged protests outside the Tele. He became obsessed.
Weeks later a successful career in law and a loving family were gone.
Today he can still be found wandering the streets of Surry, telling his tale to anyone who’ll listen.
The lesson?
If you come up with a fabulous line, Tweet it. Even if you don’t, Tweet it. If you stub your toe, Tweet it.
Every thought you have is precious and must be shared.
Lest you end up like poor old Grahame Wynne.
