THE QUARANTINE INTERVIEWS: 4

27 MARCH 2020

Pete is taking this one conversation at a time.

Unusual times, Pete. How are you coping?

I’ve gone a little bit Castaway with the standard lamp in my lounge room. I’ve stopped short of calling it Wilson, but I have had quite a few meaningful exchanges with it. I’m on my own here, did I say?

Sure, no judgement. What’s the lamp like?

Really lovely. Gentle, intelligent, caring – and so well travelled! It’s got some incredible stories to tell about the time it spent working in the Congo. And it’s so funny; I almost busted a valve laughing at yarns from its misspent yout– oh, did you mean…

Well, I was really wondering what it looks like.

Of course, yeah, it’s brown. Kind of tall.

When did you last have an in-person encounter?

Not sure. 1997?

This does seem to be dragging on, doesn’t it? Any idea what day it is?

None at all.

How will you spend the rest of the day?

I’ll do some time in the shed. I’m making some chook sculptures out of chaff bags, garden twine and leaf litter. I want to add a bit of life to the place – and get some fresh eggs, obviously. Anyway, that’ll pass a few hours. I’ll come in for dinner, of course. I look forward to seeing what the Philodendron has cooked up.