:: glean ::

:: Wednesday, February 28, 2007 ::

Every day

Andy goes through an intensely annoying period of 'living every day like it was his last.' It seemed to involve getting up early, running around the park until he came home, streaming with fluid.
'We are supposed to be 90 percent water, you know, Andy,' Olivia had warned him. 'Maybe try to keep it that way.'

He caught up with people he hadn't seen for years

:: Fretting 8:40 PM [+] ::
...

Andy

Sometimes when Olivia looked at Andy she was struck by how different he looked now. Now that he had a 'real' job. Now that he was no longer just making money for their next overseas adventure. It wasn't just the suit either. Something had shifted about his face. Something had been folded up and packed away. It was like a protective covering had been shaken out over the top.

'You look different,' she told him, one morning.
'Older,' he said, checking for clumps of hair he'd missed.
'No, just different. I miss your old face.'
He contorted his features.
'It's still here,' he said.
'No, it's not,' she said. 'ALthough it might be there, deep down. It's too important to see me now, your face. I feel like I should make an appointment to see it. Or send it an email.'
Tell you what,' said Andy, colonging, 'Have your face call my face and we'll see if we can arrange a meeting.'
'Exactly,' said Olivia.

:: Fretting 12:27 PM [+] ::
...

Notes

Olivia has friends called Jane and William. Jane has a baby the same age as B.

Olivia lived for some time as a student in a London squat. There were a number of travellers who stayed there, included Marguerite. It is because of the travellers that Olivia became interested in the idea of travel.

It was through Marguerite that she met Andy - he was M's boyfriend originally.

I think perhaps M kills herself after Olivia and Andy get together (or maybe after they get married?). Or perhaps it's just that the friendship dies, so when Olivia talks about leaving London to escape the ghosts this is what she's referring to.

Olivia and Andy do a lot of travel together, putting off settling down. They in fact make a pact that they will never do work other than to make money for the next trip. Andy is from a conservative background, but he is the most veherement about it.

Then he lands a role with a company (after they find out they're having a baby? Or before?) and starts making lots of money. It's not long before the Andy who stayed in the squat with Olivia seems like a different person. Not to mention the Olivia who stayed there. So these are other ghosts - ghosts of former selves.

(Olivia has an idea about setting up 'parasite bars'- temporary places set up within other buildings that you would only know about by word of mouth. And then the next night they would move on.)

squatter as infestation - Olivia grows to dislike the constant shifting nature of the squat - you are never sure who you'll find scuttling about in the kitchen, late at night, leaving a mess in the bathroom etc.


When she mentions to (whoever it is) that she is leaving London to escape all the ghosts (maybe this is how she refers to the seemingly invisible people that drift through her house?) the person misunderstands and tells her that of course there are ghosts in Australia - and they are young ones, angry, more vitriolic, there against their will.

:: Fretting 12:13 PM [+] ::
...