The Caretaker
I’ve lived long enough to know I should stay in the background. It’s better that way.
The Adventures of Mental Man
I was struggling to hold my groceries, deeply regretting not taking a basket. You stared at me weirdly, not helping at all.
Blankets for Dead Babies
Twenty-five centimetres times four over a ninety centimetre width – that would be twelve tiny blankets per metre, Margaret calculated in her head as she dropped the armload of material…
Farmers Christmas
Time gets stretchy and elastic-y in the mall over Christmas. It’s slowest during late night shopping nights, when the mall starts doing midnight finishes: time basically reaches a standstill.
I Forgot to Tell You About the Bears
The day of my retirement, Padi surprises me with a party at our home, sneaking her guests into the basement, their cars parked a street over so I am clueless.
Stern-Faced Angels
‘For crying out loud,’ said Nana May, hands clapped to her head. ‘Dusty, you cannot wear jandals. Your Mum would be so upset. ’ ‘Whatevs, Nan.
For The Love of Andrew Mehrtens
Gladys walks Andrew Mehrtens every day, rain or shine.
The Kind of Light You Drown In
Luna shows her the flat on a day when a southerly is booming across the city, the sky so bright it’s nearly white overhead while the thin sun does not…
The Two Aunties
When the two aunties from Tauranga come to stay, they don’t just visit; they uproot and transplant themselves.
Whatever Was Bound
In my sleep I’m a length of twine, my strands unraveling. I move up from deep ocean pulsing like an octopus.