hello from sydney [part four of four]

hello [again].

one of my favourite moments of the trip happened on thursday night. you know chris morris? he is friends with lily and tadzio, he is a photographer. he kindly shot my final year project [from tafe days] for my portfolio. in return, chris asked for a felt face badge of a man with beard and specs. not that old chestnut! just a little aside, i love that expression. i did not know it until i got to london. rodrigo says it with a wink. like everyone else who asks for a face badge, i thought chris was subtly asking for one of himself so i use his face as my point of reference. almost a year on and i am finishing his face badge in sydney. i show the work-in-progress to lily and she laughs. why? is it hideous? lils informs me chris talked about giving it to his ex-girlfriend. oh. oops. it is too late to change it now though i feel a bit weird stitching "you better look out for love" on the back of the badge like i have with all the faces that have come before. at dinner with lily, tadzio, chris and doris at tapenade [where dave works], i give chris his badge wrapped in tissue paper. he peels back the sticky tape, the badge is face down. he turns it over.

"oh. it is me!"

yes it is. the surprise! the recognition! i felt fulfilled.

love

o

ps this is all i had drafted last night, i still have friday 26 june and saturday 27 june [my last day in sydney] to go but i feel i cannot write more right now. the next hello from london should explain why.