<<<< It was definitely time for a feed and I knew of some excellent Middle Eastern tucker, which could meet my limited struggling artist's budget. So Sam, along with some of the Mowanjum 'mob' (community), my film crew, Les, Max and I went for dinner. We got stuck into that tucker of barbecued seasoned lamb, unleavened bread, which is like a great damper; lots of surprises wrapped up in thin pastry.

Sam chuckled with delight, "oh good tucker". Spontaneously he picked up his now empty plate that had been wiped dry with his unleavened bread, again licked his fork dry and then tapped out a steady rhythm as though he were holding clap sticks. Sam filled the air with his voice. I recognised the song as that of the Australian aviator Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, who flew onto the mud flats that is now Derby airport.

The song is about the excitement and spirit your father had, to see that giant aeroplane take off in the heat of the day. "Up, up, get him up" and with that unmistakable chuckle he was in the moment, remembering that time of his life.

Quite unexpectedly, in another corner of the room a rotund man stood and he began to sing in German. His voice was that of a trained tenor opera singer and the cacophony of Wagner and Sam singing in language was something to behold. The kitchen hands came to the door, passers-by on the street came to a stand still and we all in the restaurant began to laugh.

When the songs came to an end the rotund man came to explain that he was overjoyed and found that he too had to sing. He took Sam hand and grasped it with his other hand and thanked him for the joy he brought to the evening.