Monthly Archives: December 2025

This short story was originally published over nine episodes in Critic (Otago University Student Newspaper in 1987. I wrote each section a day or two beforehand without having a clear idea how the story would end. I could have kept it going but the university year came to an end so I had to wind it up. I apologize the writing isn’t very good but it’s the first short story I ever wrote.

I’ve tidied up the odd mistake but it’s basically as written. The mayor character is based on the Dunedin mayor of the time – Cliff Skeggs – the Pope really did come to Christchurch that year- and Dunedin residents will recognize the local street names and geography. In 2025 three of my colleagues in the climate/environmental movement used the name to run in the local body election on a radical ‘green’ platform but sadly none were successful.
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