I remember my Birthday

We’re in Rabaul for a week, when one night we stand at a bar in Chinatown. There is a calendar behind the bar and I look at it. It’s the 20 February. My god, I exclaim, it’s my birthday! I shouldn’t have said that. I’m buying lots of drinks and consume much too many myself. When we leave Chinatown for the Boat club I’m totally drunk.

A familiar Date

I don’t remember anything after that and wake up in the morning with a tremendous hang-over. I can’t face breakfast and just have coffee. We’re driving into the mountains behind Rabaul to a volcano recording station some half hour drive away. It’s a new building, not yet occupied and Ted is finishing the refrigeration work while I sit in the shade, feeling terrible.

I’m very thirsty and look for water. The water is connected to the building but it is rainwater from a tank behind the building. The water runs out of the tap but is the colour of tea, it doesn’t matter, I need some, I’ so thirsty.

I drink straight from the tap, even though the water is discoloured, it doesn’t taste like anything and is warm, it feels good. I drink some more and go back to sit in the shade. Why did I drink so much last night?

Rabaul Plantroom

Ted is working away in the plant room and when he emerges ready to go I feel nauseous. In the car I hang my head out of the window and let the rushing air cool my head. I am never going to touch another drink for as long as I live.

It’s late in the afternoon when I start to feel human again. Ted wants to go to the club after dinner and when we get there, I drink orange juice the whole time we’re at the club.