Killing Time Page 19

  In this book I have spoken often of life’s little parallels but none blew me away more than what a friend of the Halvagis family told me only a few days before I wrote this chapter.

  Many years ago two families lived in rural Warracknabeal and two little girls played together. Over the intervening years both families moved from Warracknabeal and lost contact. All these years later, those same two families are now reunited in grief. The two little girls were Mersina Halvagis and Nicole Patterson! What must the odds be of these two young women both being murdered by the same person after not seeing each other for such a long time?

  I have been doing quite a bit of talking to school groups about the dangers of drug use. I enjoy the interaction with the young people and I am constantly amazed at the grasp they have of the issues. I do like the way they’re uninhibited and ask confronting and intelligent questions. I find each talk I give to be a most rewarding experience. Do not under estimate these kids; they are smart and articulate. My message to them is a simple one: be safe and be smart. If you preach and threaten you lose your audience, but reason with them and they listen.

  Earlier this year I was invited to launch the Red Shield Appeal for the Salvation Army for Central and North Queensland. I flew to Rockhampton and addressed a completely different audience – all good, salt-of-the-earth country adults. I loved doing anything I could for the Salvos; after all, they were there for me when I needed a friendly hand. My late dad always had a soft spot for the Salvos. He always told me that when everyone else has walked away from you the Salvos will pick you up time after time and never question or preach; they are just there. God bless the Salvos.

  My life continues to be a great adventure. All I have been through has left me taking nothing for granted. I maintain the good health that I was fortunate enough to recover in jail. My two teenage children spend a lot of time with me. I have met a delightful lady, which has made my life complete once more. We are all very happy and, more importantly, comfortable each with the other. Life is great.

  Having written three books I am working on various televison projects. You can see that, after the journey I embarked upon that fateful day when I snorted my first line of cocaine, I am now in a very good place and I hope that each and every one of you who reads this book will heed the lessons of my downfall and try as hard as you can to not let anything similar happen to you.

  Everyone says that you can’t beat the system. But perhaps, if you keep nipping at its heels for long enough, you may bring about some change.