So I met Paul when he first came to Katherine with Mark (my brother in law) Bungie, I call him bungie coz thats what he would be to me in Aboriginal society. Pauls Marks little brother. We used to hang out together in the 80s as Mark and Simmone were an item. Things progressed with the couple and Paul went back to NSW to work and Simmone and Mark eventually went back to NSW and then back to Katherine to marry and raise a family.
On Simmones and Marks wedding day Paul was the best boy and I was the best girl. There was no hint at that point that he would become addicted to alcohol. He was an amazing self taught Taxidermist and an delicate sculptor and basically could turn his hand to anything with intelligence kindness and talent.
You know, the older I get the more I see the smart talented and sensitive souls of this earth wither and die before their time, just because the gifts and things they have to offer our world are not valued especially in a monetary way. So he struggled on producing his wares and farming the land and being alone in nature. He loved the bush. I remember being so touched when I saw that even through the ugliness of addiction he managed to grow some food, care for sick animals, and always kept himself and the house clean and tidy. That would have been so hard. So many emotions come at this point... angry is winning.
We would talk about his struggle with the piss at Simmones place in Taree, he knew Simmone and I understood the battle and could face him in it. After once such talk, when the rest of the family just sat and looked at the floor, I said - come on bro, lets go to the office and I will show this little bird on the computer that sounds just like a chainsaw he was imitating when the Zoo was having renovations done. He was tickled pink. Im so glad I did that for him. There would have been not much of pink in his life in those years leading up to today. His big brothers love for him was and will continue to be precious. Godde Bless them!
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