Prologue

When the psychologist asked me who was significant in my life I lied,
“The butcher. From him I purchase my daily meat.”………

My friend Suzin calls me mate.
She rings me at eight o’clock.
It’s morning.
“Just checking.
I have not heard from you for hours.
God I am bored and it is so early.
I am drab today so drab come and see how drab I am.”

I call her at nine o’clock.
“I can’t find my car keys.
In fact I can’t find anything.
Everything seems to be lost.”

She calls me at ten o’clock.
“You should see what the baby can do.
You should hear what the baby can say.
I have just put him in his room.”

I call her at eleven o’clock.
“I am not going to make it through this day.
I am going to die.
I can feel myself slipping away.
Death is a definite possibility.”

She calls me at noon.
“Come and have a coffee.
Go to the chemist for me.
I don’t have a car today.”

I call her at one o’clock.
“Thank a goddess the sun is shining.
I am so fucked when it is overcast.
The shining sun seizes my sadness.
Is that poetry?”

She calls me at two o’clock.
“I have got a zit big huge and full of pus.
God I hate myself.
I am so fat and the zit covers my entire face.
You should see it.”

I call her at three o’clock.
“I have just heard Leanne is having an affaire with a twenty year old bikey.
All leather and danger.
With the wind in her hair.
I wish it was me.”

She calls me at four o’clock
“I am ovulating .
I have just worked it out .
Mick will have to come home if I am going to have a baby this month.”

I call her a five o’clock.
“What shall I have for tea?
What are you having for tea?
What is the point of tea?”

She calls me at six o’clock.
“I think the baby has an earache.
I will have to go to the doctor tomorrow.”

I call her at seven o’clock
“Garry isn’t home yet.
When he comes home I am going out.
Wanna come?”

She calls me at eight o’clock.
“Come around when the baby is in bed.
We will share a wine or something.
Dance in the lounge a little.”

I call her at nine o’clock.
“I am so bored.
We should have gone out.
I am so slack.
I wish I could get motivated.”

She calls me at ten o’clock.
“I am going to bed now.
Can’t think of anything else to do.
Finished the ironing waiting for Mick to come home from the pub.”

I call her at eleven o’clock.
“We tell each other goodnight.
We wish each other sweet dreams,
hang up.


I begin to count the hours till morning.

……..the truth is, it was Suzin.
She was significant.