Allez au revoir!

Returning to Australia from what seemed like a long while living in Europe/Sub-continent; I instantly catapulted myself from scabby tenement tenant into the novel and elevated position of “landlord”. I moved into a heritage listed wool store apartment tucked away in a secluded trendy North Brisbane cul de sac and immediately started interviewing for appropriate lodgers. I thought flatmates would add extra spice and fun to a boy’s social life.

Names were tossed my way by word of mouth and, as a result, I have since seen countless tenants move into my minimalist unit and then out again to finer pastures. Some are waved goodbye with relief, followed by a terrible sense of foreboding as large electricity bills plop onto my worn doormat months after they have gone. Then there comes the harsh realization – often far too late – that their forwarding address scrawled on a tiny scrap of paper simply reads “London U.K.”.

Most people I send on their merry way with a nod, a smile and a vague hint of nostalgia. Last week, however, it felt quite a wrench to say adieu to my friends in Brisbane. So as I heartily hug my friends, before I step out of this country, I once again feel like a handy facilitator on the conveyer belt of life. On a sunny day that feels fine and quite useful, but on a rainy one it niggles. As a restless soul, it plays to my yearning to find a home too, and move onto finer places. But instead I only wave from the car-window.

I am sad to go. I had really liked all my friends here, and as fellow students/work colleagues/drinking buddies/soccer team players/acquaintances, we often rattled around the city at similar unorthodox times. This had led to many deep philosophical discussions on life, love and the universe.

As self-confessed optimists and morning whistlers, my friends skipped down the streets to shed some sunlight on issues that I, as a self-confessed cynic, often found difficult to stomach. Mates have led me to corners previously unexplored and dusted off ideas thick with dirt. In fact they invested in me, like a father does a child. They saw me as a new and difficult challenge to win over into their brave new world.

Thank you, - all the people I met in my six years in Brisbane. Somewhere, I lost all my innocence. Became a horrible person, forgot my roots, broke an angel’s heart, changed beyond recognition that even the mirror fails to recognise me. But, from the bottom of my heart – I thank everyone. Merci d'avoir donné du sens à ma vie.