Australian Story - Season 1 Episode 8

Betty & Me: Betty and Me is a love story. It is the story of Betty and Dudley Hyde who have been married for over 60 years. Dudley was a methodist minister and feels that Betty had to give up a lot of things that she loved in order to marry him. She loved to dance and be with friends, but as a minister's wife she had to forgo many of life's pleasures. Dudley, now 86 wants to make this up to her and make her last years as happy and fulfilling as possible. The story is made all the more poignant by the fact that Betty has Alzheimer's disease. She can recall very little of their lives together – but she does remember when they met and fell in love on the train in Gosford. Dudley takes Betty back to events and locations that will prompt her memories. Australian Story shares these moments with them. Dudley has written a book about their lives, a latter day love story called Betty and Me. The story is introduced by Peter Hollingworth, the Anglican Archbishop of Brisbane. He describes the book as remarkable and moving. PLUS: The Barber: To the casual eye, this Brisbane Barbershop has remained unchanged for decades. It is reminiscent of a Gentleman's club – a rather beautiful and elegant setting. But times have changed – the jokes are less bawdy and the magazines provided for the clientèle are more likely to be Time or The Bulletin than Playboy. This gentle story takes a look at the changing relationship between men and their barber in an environment where judges and tradesmen can mix with equality. PLUS: Life on a String: Robert Hart had a very simple dream. He gave up a steady job with the police force and his home to travel in caravans in order to fulfill that dream – to teach the children of Australia how to fly kites. Generations of Australian children have subsequently grown up with his kites. Robert's own children are now in the kite business, although they say when they were growing up they wished their father had been more normal, perhaps a plumber. Robert feels that people need more play and beauty in their lives and kite flying is the way to go. Life is short – enjoy yourself!