Bridgestone is the world's largest tyre and rubber group. It sells $40bn worth of round rubber every year in 150 countries and has a staff of 138,000. The boss is Shuichi Ishibashi, 66, and his office is in a very nice building in downtown Tokyo not far from Ginza. The company's mission is "Serving Society with Superior Quality".
Mimili Anangu School is one of the world's smallest and most remote schools. It teaches 60 Anangu kids of all ages and has a staff of 10. The boss is Erin McQuade and her office is in Mimili on an unsealed road about 1300km from Adelaide. The school's mission is "Stand Strong and Proud."
One of those staff is 22-year-old Caitlin Young, who decided to give up the airconditioned comforts of teaching middle class students in Adelaide for the overwhelmingly rewarding job of teaching in a school where the induction includes a working with children experiencing trauma course, understanding Anangu culture and a four-wheel drive course.
Given the nearest big night out is 645km north to Alice Springs or another 1496km to Darwin, the 4WD course is a must, as is Caitlin's Mitsubishi Pajero. In March, she took the Pajero into the Bridgestone Service Centre on the Stuart Highway for a new tyre. She paid $350 for one of Bridgestone's legendary 4WD tyres, the Desert Dueller.
Well, Bridgestone was right about the adventure. A week ago the Desert Dueller (DD) blew out on her way to Darwin. If you've driven up there you know a blowout at speed can rapidly become a fatal adventure. She pulled into Beaurepaires in Winnelli (a suburb of Darwin) who looked at the DD and said this is a tyre with experience. In fact, Shuichi Ishibashi and the team had made the DD in the 42nd week of 2009.
It's hard to kick up a real fuss from Mimili, so Mum in Adelaide has been on the job. You know what's coming don't you? Bridgestone's South Australian rep fobbed her off to Shuichi's Territory rep, George Kulyn, who Mum tells me suggested it is not illegal to sell nine-year-old tyres and this is an acceptable practice.
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