Throughout this bizarre saga, i have found colleagues, friends and family to be wonderfully supportive, and genuinely hilarious. So thanks to all of you, especially:

Tim – always on the lookout:
“Did you say fertiliser? Michael, you don’t know who’s listening! (Louder) i am not associated with this person.”

Bushy for his crack-up comments:
“Think we got ourselves a reader“, “Whatcha reading for?” and “Read any good books lately?”

Amarina for leaning across to the window of her ute and drawling,
“We don’t like your type around here.“

Gayle, as i was dancing in the doorway at the launch of i dream a highway, northcote high st.
“I’m sorry we’re going to have to ask you to leave. Heard about you and your inappropriate dancing.“

Rhi and Ben:
“Gotta get you a t-shirt that says ‘Northcote’s favourite terrorist’”

My fabulous sister for sending me the “I’m a tourist not a terrorist” t-shirt from amsterdam.
Lou for reading through the first letter to the editor.

Plus thanks to people who’ve joined in this online storytelling experience:

• Rhi and Jo for posting brilliant comments to the blog, and twice!
• Katie, A.Duck, BiddyB, Howard, for their delightfully supportive comments.
• Susan for her limerick all the way from Canada ..

Colleagues who applauded my entrance at a work celebration day, the morning after this whole thing hit the headlines.

My mother for showing her protective side and saying, “I just want this to go away. i think it’s over now.”

Okay mum, i’ll write about other stuff now. Hope, the future, and being polite.
i won’t talk about the fear and hysteria gripping the western world, or the possibility that governments are using this fear to destroy civilian freedoms. No no no.