Five days after you die, the dust has already started to gather on the piano keys. It’s been less than a week, and already this room is stale. The day after you left, the hospital people came and took the hired machines that were keeping you alive. They took the machines and the bed where you lay these last three weeks, took them to another family who still had use for them.
This piece was written the day after my grandpa’s funeral. He’d been dying for such a long time that his actual passing seemed somewhat routine. This story explores the ceremony and banality of life ending.
Zoë’s writing has been recognised in the 2017 and 2016 Grace Marion Wilson competition, the 2017 Rachel Funari Prize and the 2016 Overland Story Wine Prize.
Acknowledgements:
Memoria is written, produced, edited and presented by Natalie V.
Your Big Hands is written and read by Zoe Bradley. The story is sound edited by Jen Farrow.
Music in this episode is by Blue Dot Sessions, Sage the Hunter, When in the West and The Envelope.
Illustrations by Peta Manning. Her book, See Me Doodle, is out now.
Sound effects used in this episode by:
Bottles.WAV 13GPanska_Jirova_Tereza CC0 1.0, 14_WORDR.wav, ReWired Sampling Plus 1.0 bathroom door.wav arnaump CC0 1.0, basket_wicker_creak_01.WAV matucha CC BY 3.0, Car_Door-open-close.aif nmscher CC0 1.0, Cup Saucer.mp3 sjnewton CC BY 3.0, Diner Ambiance.mp3, XfiXy8, CC0 1.0, drawer.wav laura222, CC0 1.0, frantic searching vedas, CC BY 3.0, Footsteps_6_Dirt_shoe.wav monte32 CC0 1.0, Girl sniffing a short dry sniff.wav 150118NicoleKalamer CC BY-NC 3.0, hair brush sangtao CC0 1.0, hostpital-automatic-bed.aif, alienistcog CC0 1.0 iron whoosh squidge316 CC0 1.0, Old Garage Door Opening [Outside] KenzieVaness CC BY 3.0, outdoor ambience seth-m CC0 1.0, Paging through a book OpenWillem CC BY 3.0, people shuffling out of Church.wav BeeProductive CC0 1.0, Perfume Spray vmgraw, CC0 1.0 Piano Key C 6 Goup_1 CC BY 3.0, pills_in_a_jar_01_shuffle_03.wav zavok CC0 1.0, Pleiades Sonata HookSounds CC BY4.0, https://www.hooksounds.com/royalty-free-music/pleiades-sonata/172417/, Pouring Glass of Wine from Bottle nebulousflynn CC BY 3.0, Sniffing biawinter CC BY-NC 3.0, woman crying sobbing cry sob sad.wav bulbastre CC BY 3.0
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