as if by magic the shopkeeper appeared
…and I realised the fun was drawing to an end. And I realised I had fallen in love, that I was leaving, that this is it, it’s over, and I won’t see you again. And I was truly, madly, deeply heartbroken.
I met a lot of people along the way, but the shining stars who lit up my life: sweet Sally, free-spirit Fran, Lynne and her writer’s block tips, Stephen and his Scando pop (who’d have thought Kylie’s Put Your Hand On My Heart could be so desperately sad?), Khoa Do for making Footy Legends and also for being my escort, if only for one night, Rachel, Phillip, Frank & Jenny, the boy in Tonga who said I looked like an angel, the boy in Berkelouw Books for giving me the hot thigh sweats on a Thursday afternoon…
But wait there is more, dear reader. Walking around the streets of Auckland I felt a mixture of sadness and joy and couldn’t shake away the tears. I made wonderful friends here and I’m heartsore to be leaving. In one way or another, these people made my life here an absolute pleasure and gave me magic and made my world a better place - Katie, Angelina, Hayley…and the boys who put a smile on my face - Jezza, Tana and Dougie. Thanks. For every second.