Michael Shay and Ray Rennie share a laugh over the yellow sticky note marked “For the good looking ones only” stuck to their table number at Ross Street Café Diner.
Photo by
Kelly Lucas-Carmody
A tiny piece of yellow paper, stuck to the table number in the back corner of Ross Street Café Diner, read, “For the good looking ones only.”
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It’s a reservation made daily — five-days-a-week, at precisely 9.30am.
The table is reserved for a group of mates. All men. Some widowed, most retired, a few simply just wanting to start the day with a coffee, but all in need of a bit of old-fashioned camaraderie.
The group has been gathering for around 10 years, it has no name, but has had members coming and going from all over Tatura throughout its duration.
It’s a group that has a real small-town, country feel — but what makes it so special, is the fact they’ve created something that has lasted.
Monday to Friday, the table is theirs at the diner. Come the weekend, the reservation shifts to the local kebab shop.
“The kebab shop doesn’t open until 10am on weekends, so we all get a bit of a sleep-in,” 76-year-old Kim O’Toole said with a smile.
“We’re determined to start our days together — seven-days-a-week.”
According to Kim, the group was originally started by a well-known Tatura local, Jack Muir.
After Jack’s passing in 2020, the remaining members decided to keep the group going — and that’s exactly what they’ve done.
Footy and cricket are the regular topics of conversation, along with the daily and ever-important question, “How are you?” and of course, the daily cup of coffee.
"Have a coffee and a chat — that’s what it’s all about,” 78-year-old Michael Shay said.
“To be honest, if we go back a bit, most of the blokes were single, their partners had passed on.
“And as we all got a bit older, it became more than just coffee — it was a daily check-in and mates checking on mates.
“If someone didn’t turn up, someone would give him a call, just to make sure he was okay.
“That’s the kind of mateship we’ve got.”
Whether it’s been through a game of golf over the years, involvement in community groups like the Lions Club or the local footy team, or simply crossing paths in the street, most of the men have known each other for a long time — many have lived in Tatura their whole lives.
One of the men once joked they should call themselves “The Table of Knowledge.”
And to be fair, with all the years of experience between them, there’s no doubt they’d have plenty to share.
But after saying it, he laughed and added, “Well, maybe not,”before joking, “I’m not even sure what’s happened over the past few weeks.”
The table erupted in laughter as the men sipped their warm drinks and nibbled on biscuits and cake kindly provided by the diner’s owner.
“You just wouldn’t find these kinds of groups in Melbourne,” Kim O’Toole said.
“You’re lucky to even know your neighbour in Melbourne, whereas here, you know ... well, a lot of people.
“It’s a small community with some great people, and we’re lucky to have this.
“We might otherwise just be sitting at home, feeling lonely.
“This gives us all something to do — we’ve got a reason to get up and get out of bed and go get a coffee with mates.”
David ‘Taffy’ Moreton, John Mappson, Michael Shay, Ray Rennie, Kim O’Toole and Jason Carter, raise their cups in a toast — to checking in on mates.
Photo by
Kelly Lucas-Carmody
David ‘Taffy’ Moreton, John Mappson, Michael Shay, Ray Rennie, Kim O’Toole and Jason Carter enjoy a cuppa together — just like they do, seven-days-a-week.
Photo by
Kelly Lucas-Carmody
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