Lost in Pyrmont With Murphy’s Law (Part 1) – Mad Chaos: April 13, 1999
A good night’s sleep promises a smooth start to a temping job, until one wrong turn sends the day into a long, sweaty hunt for an address and a working phone.
Credit Card Trouble and Lyssa’s Silence (Part 3) – Mad Chaos: April 4, 1999
A sleepless dawn, a credit card that is short by a few dollars and a week without a call from Lyssa.
Kuper The Spotter Who Wouldn’t Spot (Part 1) – Mad Chaos: November 10, 1998
A gym session with Kuper turns into a quiet contest, with spotting that is anything but helpful. Errands, a new hat and a friendly girl round out the day.
A Sorry Poem and a Hundred Dollar Photo – Mad Chaos: November 21, 1998
Tony opens with a heartfelt poem, then walks through a day of phone calls, a rip off photo shoot and a mate bragging about a new mobile. Plans for the night are finally locked in.
The Taxi That Ended Saturday Morning (Part 3) – Mad Chaos: January 18, 1999
Tony fills in Saturday morning of his birthday weekend, from a missed beach trip to the taxi that carried Lyssa away.
Madden 99 Until Sunday Afternoon (Part 2) – Mad Chaos: March 22, 1999
News of an old acquaintance lands heavily. Then a missed gym session turns into a marathon of Madden 99 with Shawn and Keith, and some strange late calls from Lyssa.
Subway Showdown Over Hot Chips (Part 2) – Mad Chaos: November 26, 1998
A late night drive ends with friends taking sides in a car park, and Tony finally learns why his mates quietly drifted away.
Haggling Over a Telescope (Part 1) – Mad Chaos: January 6, 1999
Tony looks back on Jewell with fresh doubts, then gets drawn into a price tussle over a telescope and a home gym set.
Beaten by a Football Turnstile (Part 1) – Mad Chaos: April 4, 1999
My first ever football game started with a ticket I could not feed through the turnstile and ended with me cheering alone for Brisbane among Bulldogs fans.
We Tore Up the Forgotten Years (Part 1) – Mad Chaos: November 23, 1998
Tony admits the month has finally slid downhill after a fight over old letters. He then rewinds to Saturday night, a late bus, a rented movie and a few nagging worries about Keith.
Anatomy Charts for a Gym Nerd (Part 3) – Mad Chaos: November 26, 1998
A quick, heavy workout sparks a plan to scan old magazine diagrams and build a computer guide to every muscle, while the phone stays quiet.
My Golden Chain Gives Way (Part 1) – Mad Chaos: January 19, 1999
A snapped gold chain, a dance floor full of friends and one girl Tony was too nervous to approach.
Gunshots I Mistook for Fireworks (Part 2) – Mad Chaos: November 14, 1998
Lyssa visits in a skirt for a quiet movie night, and later the mates find the local festival has shrunk. Back home, the sounds Tony heard turn out to be something far more serious than fireworks.
Midnight Verse For A Girl Who Might Not Read It – Mad Chaos: November 6, 1998
Tony cannot sleep for thinking of Lyssa and sketches a grand Christmas surprise, complete with a poem. It is love at its most hopeful and most unrealistic.
A Castle Built Around My Heart (Part 1) – Mad Chaos: January 28, 1999
Tony explains and prints a sonnet about a fortified emotional castle, then swerves to cockroaches, a striking girl at the gym and a camera finally returned.
A Lonely Eve And Two Movie Swaps (Part 1) – Mad Chaos: December 30, 1998
With most of his friends away, Tony braces for a flat new year and recounts a Monday of shopping trips, a rental that went down badly and a warm night in.
A Phone Call Opens Old Wounds (Part 4) – Mad Chaos: February 8, 1999
A lazy Sunday ends with a long phone call that unearths family hurts, a budding romance between friends and a Valentine plan nobody wants.
The Shower Is My Real Office (Part 1) – Mad Chaos: February 10, 1999
Tony explains why his best ideas arrive under the shower, grumbles about interruptions and takes stock of his poetry so far.
Heavier On The Scales (Part 1) – Mad Chaos: December 26, 1998
Tony celebrates his heaviest weight yet, waits out a blackout and then recounts the afternoon he spent sunning and settling in at Lyssa’s.
A Cold Goodbye and a Taxi Home (Part 2) – Mad Chaos: January 25, 1999
Tony reflects on a disappointing morning with Lyssa, sees her off in a taxi, and then turns down a request to keep her company for the night.
Waves At Three In The Morning (Part 1) – Mad Chaos: November 29, 1998
The boys arrive at Waves just as the night ends and the street fills with drama. Tony is left dreaming about one unforgettable stranger.
The Weekly Argument About Driving (Part 2) – Mad Chaos: November 29, 1998
The group spends hours arguing over who will drive before heading south. Tony gets home at dawn with no call from Lyssa.
Ticket Butt Denied At The Door – Mad Chaos: December 28, 1998
Tony catches up on his missing gym entry and then tells the story of a movie night that ended with a very awkward moment at the cinema door.
A Dead Keycard and a Cheeky Grin (Part 4) – Mad Chaos: November 13, 1998
Tony and his mates try a cancelled fuel card at the servo, then wander Macarthur Square where one wide grin gets under an old enemy’s skin. A long evening call with Lyssa follows.
A Pricey Sports Drink in Hurstville (Part 3) – Mad Chaos: November 1, 1998
Halloween night ends in a slow Hurstville crawl, then Tony rereads a poem he wrote in July and sees it in a new light.
Ali Wants His Celica Back (Part 1) – Mad Chaos: December 22, 1998
On the walk to the shops, Lyssa dishes on Ali and his stripped Celica, then Jett turns up on his motorbike and the movie night grows crowded.
Everybody Blames Keith For The Phone (Part 5) – Mad Chaos: December 24, 1998
Tony sulks home on the train, then Keith arrives with the full story of a weekend of trouble among the crew. A late taco run and a new outfit round off the night.