The Odyssey Of The Ex-Paramedic, Sebastian : Cafe Locked Out

We woke up in a truckers’ bay. Before us was another bus like ours, while around us semi-trailers and B-doubles waited as their drivers—perhaps the last of the human truck drivers—slept.

Needing fuel, we found a remote service station where a young man, Sebastian, approached the bus and said, “Café Locked Out.”He had a job here, repairing the bowsers, but previously he’d been a Victorian paramedic.He was one of us.Forced out of his job for refusing to participate in the jab rollout, he had begun his odyssey, which had led him here.He agreed he’d love to do an interview but couldn’t because he was working.We set off, passing through Coffs Harbour before reaching and stopping in Port Macquarie. While parked near the foreshore, Sebastian and his wife passed by.They were on an afternoon walk to celebrate their anniversary. I said, “Well, now you have to talk,” and Sebastian agreed.It’s moments like these that make us believe some force is guiding our individual journeys.This is some of Sebastian’s story.

Searching For YouAustralia has never remained the same. Throughout our brief history, we have constantly changed, yet somehow, we have always remained Australia.But then the COVID years hit us with a tsunami of fear that washed away our communal identity, leaving us silently trying to ignore an undercurrent of shame.This left us with a question that is still impolite, but essential to ask:Who are we now?Despite living in what should be one of the richest countries in the world, we ow a trillion dollars, and many are struggling financially, and feel powerless—even worthless, in the face of great change.Why?We’ve had to face challenges before.And, if we, as a people, through conversation and action, don’t find a way to agree on our current identity—or on an identity we should strive to be—then big business, the government, and the mainstream media will create an identity for us that suits their needs, and we will have to live under it.So, before that happens, we’ve decided to hit the road again.Café Locked Out started in the depths of the Melbourne Lockdowns but has grown into a community of podcasters, all defending free speech in their own way.For our part, Kelli and I, like modern-day apprentice historians, are interested in continuing the work of recording anyone who is will to share their stories and opinions.Who are we now?Where are we going?And if we don’t want to go there, what other options are open to us?Our goal is to continue to travel from town to town, posting the voices we record in an attempt to foster this conversation.For how can will we ever defend ourselves from those who would oppress us if we don’t actually know who we are?

Michael

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