The joint was artfully constructed with three Tally Hos; a sort of stoner oragami. I sparked it behind Grandpa’s old shearing shed and it smouldered in the stifling Christmas Eve sun. Inhaling deeply, I felt my eyes droop and my brain numb.
As a teenager on Christmas Eve, I escape the watchful eyes of my relatives for a moment of solitude. However, when a fire breaks out, the family must come together in a collective effort to save the farm.
Nick Orchard is a Melbourne-based writer, social worker and former professional rapper. Nick has previously published on The Dad Website, and is currently writing a novel exploring themes of homelessness, community and overcoming trauma.

Acknowledgements:
Memoria was written, produced, edited and presented by Natalie V.
I carried him was written and read by Nick Orchard. The story was sound edited by Jen Farrow.
Music in this episode was 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.
The Joint Before Xmas
2. 180081 Curtains 01 By FST180081 CC BY 3.0
3. Crowd shouting on the street By Hellonyou CC BY-NC 3.0
4. Dinner table ambience By Mr_Alden CC BY-NC 3.0
5. Drinking Water Bottle By NebbiaOne CC BY-NC 3.0
6. Empty Beer Bottles Clinking, Clanking By Fugeni CC0 1.0
7. Fire Brigade Siren - Street – Cars By LanDub CC0 1.0
8. Footsteps, Tile, Male Tennis Shoes, Slow Pace By SpliceSound CC0 1.0
9. Hip-Hop loop #17 By Decentyo CC0 1.0
10. Lighting a Cigarette Taking Drag By User_7146007 CC0 1.0
11. Putting out fire By SoundMarnus CC BY 3.0
12. RagingFireplace By Kkswinso CC0 1.0
13. Rolling paper roll joint By Kyles CC0 1.0
14. Rotary phone dial numbers By Iwdickens CC0 1.0
15. Rural Australia morning birds By Tim.kahn CC BY-NC 3.0
16. Sample Screen Doors By SvennSound CC0 1.0
17. Smoking Variations By Fluffayfish CC BY-NC 3.0
18. Watercarpet By Mikaelfernstrom CC BY 3.0
19. Water, Pouring, A By InspectorJ CC BY 3.0
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