Peter Goers

She sort of keened and cried a lot.

It was easier for her, I think, because she had a very strong faith.

Faith is important, I think, in these.

It can be important in grief.

My other grandmother was, from birth, was known as a caliphumpian, an agnostic, and it was much, much harder for her.

She really never recovered, and I think it exacerbated her dementia and agoraphobia and so forth.

No, I didn't.

I didn't.

Somebody, a friend of my father, came round to our house where there was a studio and took a passport photograph.

I then had friends at my own house in the next street come around.

They couldn't get through my head.

And I was in this sort of fog.

..of grief, naturally.

And, you know, I was drinking brandy but couldn't get drunk.

Somebody had given me a Valium, the first time I'd ever taken a Valium, so that was sort of adding to the fog, I suppose.

It couldn't get into my head that I was going to... I was leaving a very cold Adelaide winter and going to New Orleans, which would be very hot and humid in the height of summer.

And you don't... I mean, you go years and you think...

Maybe it was all a mistake.

You see someone who looks like them and that's happened a number of times to me, that sense of disbelief.

But it's, yes, you're numb.