Flashback Episode

Stiji sat back on the mould-free and actually comfortable couch, sipping pulpy fresh orange juice and smiling at Muppet Goo’s last quip.

“And everyone kept coming up to me and telling me I was totally ripped, and I consistently shot them all down and told them I was torn”.

Sven looked on, mild displeasure on his face. “Muppet, you really are lame.”

“Oh come on”, Stevo said, a toothy grin illuminating his face.  “We’re all allowed to have fun from time to time”.

Muppet Goo laughed a laugh similar to that of a muezzin's call to prayer. “Stiji knows all about fun. People say that’s all he did last year”.

“Which isn’t true at all”, Stiji remarked sharply, straightening his back.  “Remember that time I had to write that letter asking for free chickens in order to cover my office’s rent for the month? I’d hardly call that having fun”.

“It was a fun story to hear though”, Stevo commented.

“It’s also just one mildly frustrating story out of about a million excellent ones”, Sven said drily. “I can still recall the complete look of wonder on your face when the little boat arrived at that tiny island, what was it called again? Leleuvia, that’s right. Yeah, you looked pretty damn excited when that boat’s hull hit that pure white sand, and you arrived on that perfect little palm-tree-clad island sitting in that calm, azure water”.

Stiji raised an eyebrow. “Great story, and you’re right. That was my first real trip away from Suva, and it was mind-blowingly amazing. But seriously, who talks like that? Azure water? Come on”.

Stevo cut in diplomatically. “You all have good points. Stiji, you have had a lot of really great times. And most of them were outside of Suva. I mean, remember that trip to Taveuni? Your jaw was on the floor of the plane throughout the entire flight, and that was before you even got there. And yes Sven, who does talk like that?”

“I would like to point out that I’ve had plenty of good times in Suva as well”, Stiji said. “It was where I graduated from being terrible at guitar to mildly OK at it, and had some amazing jam sessions. It was where I learned to make coconut milk, and the subsequent fish curry, from scratch. It was where I had great balcony times with multiple sets of housemates. Where I enjoyed innumerable happy hour drinks at Bad Dog. Saw 46 (and counting) movies. It’s where I’ve eaten some phenomenal steak. So don’t go spouting off that I think Suva sucks. Because it’s just not true.

Stevo put his hands up in mock surrender. “Fine, fine. I stand corrected. Sorry”.

“Except now your argument is that you had fun times everywhere, and no bad times at all”, Muppet Goo pointed out.

Sven piped up. “What about the time your parents came and got ridiculously yet typically ill, and you had to change a whole heap of your plans? Surely that was a pretty low moment.”

“True”, Stiji nodded thoughtfully, “it’s not a natural thing to take charge over one’s parents. Still, a bit of a stomach bug is easily forgotten when they paid for my first trip to the Intercontinental”.

“A bit of a stomach bug?” Stevo asked? “Your mother could barely move. And then you caught it off them yourself!”

The multiple personalities sounded a chorus of agreement.

Stiji conceded. “Yeah, OK, so I was pretty miserable. But it was pretty hard to hate life when I was sick lying on a sun lounger in the Yasawas. Besides, my parents also bought me a can opener”.

“You’re really not helping the case for your year not being totally 100% fun with absolutely no negatives, you know”, Muppet Goo commented. “You’re hardly disproving the masses that believe you spent a year working on your amazing tan and snorkelling abilities”.

“Well, I’m not going to focus on the negatives now, am I? It’s the end of an era!” Stiji practically wailed.

“Shush now,” Stevo murmured. “Let’s focus on the positives then. Do you have a favourite moment in particular?”

“Not really, I don’t think. It’s all been pretty amazing. Although the colour of the water at Yanuca, that will always be in my memory. But yeah…all of it”. Stiji was murmuring quietly now, lazing on the sofa, in a state of warm contentment. His compatriots stood up, forming a creepy circle around him.

“Good night Stiji”, Stevo murmured.

“Sweet dreams”, Sven whispered.

“You’re totally a crazy person”, Muppet Goo crooned.

And he was. But a happy one.

Another flashback that just springs to mind is spending 20 minutes one morning walking to work with George and discussing the pros and cons of turning Japanese, after I spilt tumeric on my foot and made it turn yellow. Yes, I may be actually crazy.