'Sick Day' by VRL Thonger

My father's reading to me: Kipling’s illustrated Just So Stories. His bald head's wreathed in a blue smoke nest, delicate strands coiling upwards, splitting from the glowing tip of his cigarette. 

Fog hovers over the ashtray on the bedside table. I've lined up his Camels packet and my inhaler, side by side like two dolls.

He goes slowly so we can read my favourite line together, 'puffing up and puffing up into a great big lolloping humph'. His voice rumbles, mine wheezes out the words.

Our hands touch and recoil: I'm reaching for the inhaler; he's reaching for the packet.

 

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With a background in psychology, poet/writer and actor/performer/director Vivian Thonger (Kerikeri, Aotearoa NZ) is busy. Take Two—an illustrated, chopped-up, experimental memoir with soundtrack and illustrations, co-written with her sister—was published by CBeditions (UK, 2023) and is available internationally from volume.nz.