February 1973, the headlines inside the chapter
A Libyan jet downed, Whitlam abroad, classrooms in the heat
At the library desk in Wagga, Christian smooths the paper and copies lines into his notebook. The month around him is turning fast. Below is the real history threaded through the scenes, with what happened and why it colours the chapter’s mood.
21 February 1973 ~ Libyan plane shot down
What happened: Israeli jets forced down Libyan Arab Airlines Flight 114 after it strayed into Sinai airspace. 108 passengers and crew were killed. Reports ran under grim words like downed and tragedy.
Why it matters here: Christian pockets this clipping. The word itself trails him through PE, echoing in his ribs and bruises.
7 February 1973 ~ Whitlam meets Nixon
What happened: Prime Minister Gough Whitlam held talks in Washington with U.S. President Richard Nixon. Dispatches highlighted a shift in tone, with Whitlam signalling independence on Vietnam and recognition of China.
Why it matters here: In a garrison town beside Kapooka, soldiers and families feel the change close to home. For Christian, it reshapes the air around uniforms and silence.
February 1973 ~ Schools swelter
What happened: February heatwaves pushed past 40 degrees across the Riverina. Some schools closed early; others stayed open as teachers lodged complaints about conditions. Local headlines carried lines like Schoolchildren swelter in heatwave.
Why it matters here: The sweat in the plastic chairs, the slow ceiling fans, and the PE laps shimmer with the same heat that made the month’s headlines.
Pop culture in the air
Television variety hours and radio charts kept filling space between grim news bulletins. Number 96, the racy Sydney soap, was at its height, shocking parents while teenagers snuck glances. Neil Diamond and Slade were climbing charts beside homegrown crooners.
Why it matters here: Even in Wagga, the noise of pop culture drifts across verandahs and canteens. It does not lift Christian out of himself, but it reminds him the wider world is loud, brash, and pressing on.
Why these headlines deepen the story
The month’s news carries weight that Christian cannot name but feels: a jet brought down with no mercy, a Prime Minister abroad changing the country’s stance, children fainting in classrooms that mirror his own. February’s world is bruised and overheated, and he carries it in his pocket alongside his silence.