Tall And True Short Reads

It's a hot summer afternoon, with no sign of the Freo Doctor. Despite the heat, I'm climbing the tree in Gran's backyard with my brothers and boy cousins while our girl cousins chat in a circle in the shade of the back veranda. Like the other boys, I'm in shorts with no shirt or shoes. Our tomboy cousin's up here, too. And though she's wearing a dress, she's also barefoot.Some Things Change is a short story from the Tall And True writers' website, written and narrated by Robert Fairhead.Read the story on Tall And True: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/fiction/short-stories/some-things-changePodcast website: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.comSupport the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-readsBuy Robert's short story collections online:• Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM• Apple Books:  https://books.apple.com/us/author/robert-fairhead/id1436773436• Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairheadPodcast Theme and Sound EffectsRoyalty-free music from Pixabay.com: Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 'Pastorale' – IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non-Troppo, performed by Karine Gilanyan.Sound effects licensed under Creative Commons 0 from FreeSound.org:• Kids playing: https://freesound.org/people/cognito%20perceptu/sounds/61503/• Women laughing: https://freesound.org/people/Martina_Leitschuh/sounds/582751/• BBQ sizzling: https://freesound.org/people/BenjaminNelan/sounds/353124/• Rustling leaves: https://freesound.org/people/giddster/sounds/437356/• Gunfire: https://freesound.org/people/C-V/sounds/523404/Production NotesTall And True Short Reads produced using Audacity. Podcast episodes recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the lands of the traditional lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.Acast Podcast Supporter PageSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Season Four will start with a multi-part, longer short story I wrote in June 2023, Some Things Change, consisting of three vignettes set in different locations and times but with a common thread: a pair of cousins from Perth, Western Australia, exploring Australia's troubled history and relationship with Indigenous peoples.Tall And True Short Reads is a storytelling podcast featuring short stories, blog posts and other writing from the Tall And True writers' website, written and narrated by Robert Fairhead.Podcast website: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.comListen to Two Visits to the Berlin Wall:• Part One: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/two-visits-to-the-berlin-wall-part-one/• Part Two: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/two-visits-to-the-berlin-wall-part-two/Support the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-readsBuy Robert's short story collections online:• Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM• Apple Books:  https://books.apple.com/us/author/robert-fairhead/id1436773436• Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairheadPodcast Theme and Sound EffectsRoyalty-free music from Pixabay.com: Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 'Pastorale' – IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non-Troppo, performed by Karine Gilanyan.Sound effects licensed under Creative Commons 0 from FreeSound.org.Production NotesTall And True Short Reads produced using Audacity. Podcast episodes recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the lands of the traditional lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.Acast Podcast Supporter PageSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I fell in love with live theatre when I saw my first London West End play as a newly-arrived backpacker in 1987. Over the next eight years, living in Brighton and Windsor, I attended countless professional and amateur productions. But I didn't think in 1987 that one day I'd be up on stage, too, taking a bow.Taking A Bow is a memoir blog post from the Tall And True writers' website, written and narrated by Robert Fairhead.Read the post on Tall And True: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/blog/taking-a-bowPodcast website: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.comEpisode 77, My Dreams: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/my-dreams/Episode 40, My One Night Stand: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/my-one-night-stand/Support the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-readsBuy Robert's short story collections online:• Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM• Apple Books:     https://books.apple.com/us/author/robert-fairhead/id1436773436• Rakuten Kobo:  https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairheadPodcast Theme and Sound EffectsRoyalty-free music from Pixabay.com: Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 'Pastorale' – IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non-Troppo, performed by Karine Gilanyan.Sound effects licensed under Creative Commons 0 from FreeSound.org:• Applause: https://freesound.org/people/Breviceps/sounds/462362/• Pub: https://freesound.org/people/BurghRecords/sounds/415974/• Clock Ticking: https://freesound.org/people/gecop/sounds/522119/• Canned Laughter: https://freesound.org/people/Evil_Ear_Recordings/sounds/524775/Production NotesTall And True Short Reads produced using Audacity. Podcast episodes recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the lands of the traditional lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.Acast Podcast Supporter PageSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm in the middle of a dream, though it might be nearer the beginning or end. Who can tell with dreams? I'm on a rocket, and the final countdown's begun. "10, 9, 8 ..." Then I look down at myself strapped in the seat and see I'm wearing pyjamas. "It's only a dream," I reassure myself.  My Dreams is a short story from the Tall And True writers' website, written and narrated by Robert Fairhead.Read the story on Tall And True: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/fiction/short-stories/my-dreamsPodcast website: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.comSupport the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-readsBuy Robert's short story collections online:• Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM• Apple Books:  https://books.apple.com/us/author/robert-fairhead/id1436773436• Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairheadPodcast Theme and Sound EffectsRoyalty-free music from Pixabay.com: Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 'Pastorale' – IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non-Troppo, performed by Karine Gilanyan.Sound effects licensed under Creative Commons 0 from FreeSound.org:• Snoring: https://freesound.org/people/170134/sounds/407705/• Rocket: https://freesound.org/people/LimitSnap_Creations/sounds/318688/• Kids laughing: https://freesound.org/people/Ben%20Keaton/sounds/430815/• Bus Stopping: https://freesound.org/people/13FPanska_Sychra_Petr/sounds/379373/• Eagle: https://freesound.org/people/kaydinhamby/sounds/381200/• Electric Guitar: https://freesound.org/people/alexnekita/sounds/333247/• Applause: https://freesound.org/people/Breviceps/sounds/462362/• Waves: https://freesound.org/people/floating%20tree/sounds/253607/• Underwater: https://freesound.org/people/felix.blume/sounds/209459/• Medical Beeps: https://freesound.org/people/iluminati_2705/sounds/536706/Production NotesTall And True Short Reads is produced using Audacity. Podcast episodes are recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.Acast Podcast Supporter PageSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I was weaned on Wimbledon in Australia. Year after year, I'd stayed up half the night to watch the finals on TV. And here I was in the northern hemisphere, able to witness the match in broad daylight for the first time, with an Aussie in the final, for goodness sake, and Mrs B wasn't interested in tennis!My Most Memorable Wimbledon (originally titled Wimbledon Lost in Translation) is a travel blog post from the Tall And True writers' website, written and narrated by Robert Fairhead.Read the post on Tall And True: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/blog/wimbledon-lost-translationPodcast website: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.comSupport the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-readsBuy Robert's short story collections online:• Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM• Apple Books:  https://books.apple.com/us/author/robert-fairhead/id1436773436• Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairheadPodcast Theme and Sound EffectsRoyalty-free music from Pixabay.com: Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 'Pastorale' – IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non-Troppo, performed by Karine Gilanyan.Sound effects licensed under Creative Commons 0 from FreeSound.org:• Door Knock: https://freesound.org/people/anagar/sounds/267931/• Tennis Sounds: https://freesound.org/people/jamesdrake89/sounds/662256/• Crowd Cheering: https://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/486205/• Door Closed: https://freesound.org/people/TiesWijnen/sounds/455540/• Badminton: https://freesound.org/people/14FPanskaBubik_Lukas/sounds/418533/Production NotesTall And True Short Reads is produced using Audacity. Podcast episodes are recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.Acast Podcast Supporter PageSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dylan woke with jackhammers pounding in his head and a tongue so furry it felt like it needed waxing. "Last time," he croaked, rolling onto his back and resolving to quit drinking again or, at least, to stop bingeing. He stared up at the low ceiling of his studio apartment and replayed the office drinks.Past Demons is a short story from the Tall And True writers' website, written and narrated by Robert Fairhead.Read the story on Tall And True: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/fiction/short-stories/past-demonsPodcast website: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.comSupport the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-readsBuy Robert's short story collections online:• Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM• Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairheadPodcast Theme and Sound EffectsRoyalty-free music from Pixabay.com: Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 'Pastorale' – IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non-Troppo, performed by Karine Gilanyan.Sound effects licensed under Creative Commons 0 from FreeSound.org:• Jackhammer: https://freesound.org/people/fauxpress/sounds/42097/• Party Voices: https://freesound.org/people/Zac_Gist/sounds/457286/• Bottles Chinking: https://freesound.org/people/jawbutch/sounds/344401/• Glasses Chinking: https://freesound.org/people/13GPanska_Gorbusinova_Anna/sounds/377989/• Kettle Whistling: https://freesound.org/people/keweldog/sounds/181718/• Bottle Whistle: https://freesound.org/people/Anthousai/sounds/447746/• Sipping Drink: https://freesound.org/people/Sheyvan/sounds/471078/• Pouring Drink: https://freesound.org/people/FillSoko/sounds/257957/Production NotesTall And True Short Reads is produced using Audacity. Podcast episodes are recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.Acast Podcast Supporter PageSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The brief for October 2021's Furious Fiction was to set the short story in a COURT, include a character who measures something, and the words BALLOON, ROCK and UMBRELLA. So recalling Ernest Hemingway's advice to write one true sentence, I wrote, "The policewoman at the front of the Court is trying to catch my eye."Writing True Sentences is a blog post from the Tall And True writers' website, written and narrated by Robert Fairhead.Read the post on Tall And True: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/blog/writing-true-sentencesRead the Judgement short story on Talll And True: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/fiction/short-stories/judgementListen to Judgement on Tall And True Short Reads: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/judgement/Read The Al-Rabie Hotel on Tall And True: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/fiction/short-stories/the-al-rabie-hotelListen to The Al-Rabie Hotel on Tall And True Short Reads: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/the-al-rabie-hotel/Read Signs of the Second Coming on Tall And True: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/fiction/microfiction/signs-of-the-second-comingListen to Signs of the Second Coming on Tall And True Short Reads: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.com/signs-of-the-second-coming/Podcast website: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.comSupport the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-readsBuy Robert's short story collections online:• Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM• Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairheadPodcast Theme and Sound EffectsRoyalty-free music from Pixabay.com: Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 'Pastorale' – IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non-Troppo, performed by Karine Gilanyan.Sound effects licensed under Creative Commons 0 from FreeSound.org:• Judge's Gavel: https://freesound.org/people/theneedle.tv/sounds/376667/• Keyboard/Mouse Click: https://freesound.org/people/D4XX/sounds/567266/• Guitar Strumming: https://freesound.org/people/Upright/sounds/131928/Production NotesTall And True Short Reads is produced using Audacity. Episodes are recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.Acast Podcast Supporter PageSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mum's up first, though she doesn't like looking at her reflection nowadays. She splashes her face and turns away from me with a towel. Over her shoulder, I watch Mum gaze out the bathroom window. And when she turns back, Mum's wearing her pained expression again, like she's failed to solve the riddle of life.Family Reflections is a short story from the Tall And True writers' website, written and narrated by Robert Fairhead.Read the story on Tall And True: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/fiction/short-stories/family-reflectionsPodcast website: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.comSupport the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-readsBuy Robert's short story collections online:• Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM• Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairheadPodcast Theme and Sound EffectsRoyalty-free music from Pixabay.com: Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 'Pastorale' – IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non-Troppo, performed by Karine Gilanyan.Sound effects licensed under Creative Commons 0 from FreeSound.org:• Door Closing: https://freesound.org/people/soundmary/sounds/117614/• Washing Face: https://freesound.org/people/lolux/sounds/181355/• Hairdryer: https://freesound.org/people/ryanharding95/sounds/272446/• Footsteps in Hall: https://freesound.org/people/Anthousai/sounds/398782/• Toilet Flushing: https://freesound.org/people/lorenzgillner/sounds/274448/• Tap Running: https://freesound.org/people/14G_Panska_Kaminkova_A/sounds/419990/• Banging on Door: https://freesound.org/people/splatbot/sounds/337528/• Kids Laughing: https://freesound.org/people/Iamgiorgio/sounds/371342/• Drum Roll: https://freesound.org/people/bigjoedrummer/sounds/77305/Production NotesTall And True Short Reads is produced using Audacity. Episodes are recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.Acast Podcast Supporter PageSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I met Harry when he was six months old. He was the last of his litter, hiding under a kitchen table. And when the breeder dragged him out, Harry flopped his head on my leg and looked up at me with worried, brown eyes. At that moment, a bond formed between us, which lasted for just over twelve years.My Good Dog and Muse is a blog post from the Tall And True writers' website, written and narrated by Robert Fairhead.Read the post on Tall And True: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/blog/good-dog-museRobert's other articles on dogs: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/nonfiction/animalsThe Dog Collective: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/blog/the-dog-collectivePodcast website: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.comSupport the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-readsBuy Robert's short story collections online:• Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM• Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairheadPodcast Theme and Sound EffectsRoyalty-free music from Pixabay.com: Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 'Pastorale' – IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non-Troppo, performed by Karine Gilanyan.Sound effects licensed under Creative Commons 0 from FreeSound.org:• Dogs Barking: https://freesound.org/people/Mafon2/sounds/676407/Production NotesTall And True Short Reads is produced using Audacity. Episodes are recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.Acast Podcast Supporter PageSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jennifer swivelled her chair away from the laptop and stared at the lights receding into the distance beyond the high-rise office window. Her eyes had welled up reading Stephen's unexpected emailed demand, and she reached for a tissue to dab at the tears. "Twenty years," Jennifer exhaled softly, wiping her eyes.Decisions is a short story from the Tall And True writers' website, written and narrated by Robert Fairhead.Read the story on Tall And True: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/fiction/short-stories/decisionsPodcast website: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.comSupport the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-readsBuy Robert's short story collections online:• Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM• Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairheadPodcast Theme and Sound EffectsRoyalty-free music from Pixabay.com: Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 'Pastorale' – IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non-Troppo, performed by Karine Gilanyan.Sound effects licensed under Creative Commons 0 from FreeSound.org:• Office Chair: https://freesound.org/people/elonen/sounds/15475/• Children Laughing: https://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/675105/• Door Slammed: https://freesound.org/people/altfuture/sounds/174643/• Light Switch: https://freesound.org/people/EricsSoundschmiede/sounds/457410/Production NotesTall And True Short Reads is produced using Audacity. Episodes are recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.Acast Podcast Supporter PageSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After living and working in England from 1987, my wife and I returned to Australia in 1995, overland. Michael Palin's 1991 BBC series, Pole to Pole, inspired our journey and route, travelling from north to south for eight months. And along the way, we revisited Berlin, as I recorded in my travel journal.Two Visits to the Berlin Wall is a travel memoir from the Tall And True writers' website, written and narrated by Robert Fairhead.Read the piece on Tall And True: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/nonfiction/travel/two-visits-to-the-berlin-wallPodcast website: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.comSupport the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-readsBuy Robert's short story collections online:• Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM• Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairheadPodcast Theme and Sound EffectsRoyalty-free music from Pixabay.com: Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 'Pastorale' – IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non-Troppo, performed by Karine Gilanyan.Sound effects licensed under Creative Commons 0 from FreeSound.org:• Bicycle Bell: https://freesound.org/people/13gkopeckak/sounds/378912/• Clock Ticking: https://freesound.org/people/gecop/sounds/522119/• Train Station PA: https://freesound.org/people/polymorpheva/sounds/645697/• City Ambience (Cologne): https://freesound.org/people/Pfannkuchn/sounds/384353/• Construction Site: https://freesound.org/people/ivolipa/sounds/335963/• Cathedral Bells (Cologne): https://freesound.org/people/polymorpheva/sounds/511546/• Train Whistle: https://freesound.org/people/euroblues/sounds/20065/• Gunfire: https://freesound.org/people/C-V/sounds/523404/• Siren: https://freesound.org/people/lluiset7/sounds/367442/• Ping Sound: https://freesound.org/people/edsward/sounds/341871/• Bottles Chinking: https://freesound.org/people/jawbutch/sounds/344401/Production NotesTall And True Short Reads is produced using Audacity. Episodes are recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.Acast Podcast Supporter PageSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2019, approaching the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, I found a timely book in a secondhand bookshop: The Berlin Wall, 13 August 1961 – 9 November 1989 by Frederick Taylor. The book inspired me to write about my two contrasting visits to Berlin as a backpacker in 1987 and 1995.Two Visits to the Berlin Wall is a travel memoir from the Tall And True writers' website, written and narrated by Robert Fairhead.Read the piece on Tall And True: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/nonfiction/travel/two-visits-to-the-berlin-wallPodcast website: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.comSupport the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-readsBuy Robert's short story collections online:• Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM• Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairheadPodcast Theme and Sound EffectsRoyalty-free music from Pixabay.com: Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 'Pastorale' – IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non-Troppo, performed by Karine Gilanyan.Sound effects licensed under Creative Commons 0 from FreeSound.org:• Shop Bell:  https://freesound.org/people/775noise/sounds/494565/• Gunfire: https://freesound.org/people/C-V/sounds/523404/• Ping Sound: https://freesound.org/people/edsward/sounds/341871/• Plane: https://freesound.org/people/bigpickle51/sounds/262753/• Clock Ticking: https://freesound.org/people/Julien%20Matthey/sounds/457651/• Van Horn: https://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/479995/• City Ambience (Cologne): https://freesound.org/people/Pfannkuchn/sounds/384353/• Siren: https://freesound.org/people/lluiset7/sounds/367442/ Production NotesTall And True Short Reads is produced using Audacity. Episodes are recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.Acast Podcast Supporter PageSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Handcuffed in the police car, I wished the lamp hadn't been magical. "That, sir, is a genuine antique," the stallholder had asserted when I'd stopped and inspected it at the secondhand market. The oil lamp looked like a prop from Disney's Aladdin. And I thought it would polish up and earn me a tidy profit.The Magical Lamp is a short story from the Tall And True writers' website, written and narrated by Robert Fairhead.Read the story on Tall And True: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/fiction/short-stories/the-magical-lampPodcast website: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.comSupport the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-readsBuy Robert's short story collections online:• Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM• Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairheadPodcast Theme and Sound EffectsRoyalty-free music from Pixabay.com: Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 'Pastorale' – IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non-Troppo, performed by Karine Gilanyan.Sound effects licensed under Creative Commons 0 from FreeSound.org:• Police Siren: https://freesound.org/people/conleec/sounds/159744/• Secondhand Market: https://freesound.org/people/e0fd96/sounds/659634/• Cash Register Ka-Ching: https://freesound.org/people/Zott820/sounds/209578/Production NotesTall And True Short Reads is produced using Audacity. Episodes are recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.Acast Podcast Supporter PageSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Henry Rollins said, "A great way to learn about your country is to leave it." And I learned a lot about Australia while living overseas from 1987 to 1996. Books like Alice Nannup's When The Pelican Laughed (published by Fremantle Arts Centre Press in 1992) helped my education. And from her memoir, I learned about the Stolen Generation and a connection with my Nan.Please note: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are warned this podcast episode contains the names and words of people who have passed away.Alice Nannup and my Nan is a memoir post from the Tall And True writers' website, written and narrated by Robert Fairhead.Read the post on Tall And True: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/blog/alice-nannup-and-my-nanWhen The Pelican Laughed on Trove: https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/20347900?selectedversion=nbd8151722Podcast website: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.comSupport the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-readsBuy Robert's short story collections online:• Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM• Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairheadPodcast Theme and Sound EffectsRoyalty-free music from Pixabay.com: Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 'Pastorale' – IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non-Troppo, performed by Karine Gilanyan.Sound effects licensed under Creative Commons 0 from FreeSound.org:• Waves: https://freesound.org/people/floating%20tree/sounds/253607/• Clock Ticking: https://freesound.org/people/gecop/sounds/522119/Production NotesTall And True Short Reads is produced using Audacity. Episodes are recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.Acast Podcast Supporter PageSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eighty is the new fifty, or so I'm told. But my back wasn't this dodgy when I was fifty, and my knees lasted longer than a circuit of the park with the dog before seizing up. And I wasn't caught short so often that I needed to memorise the location of the nearest public toilet for emergency pit stops!The New Fifty is a short story from the Tall And True writers' website, written and narrated by Robert Fairhead.Read the story on Tall And True: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/fiction/short-stories/the-new-fiftyRobert's dog posts on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MyDogPostsRobert's dog posts on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mydogposts/Podcast website: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.comSupport the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-readsBuy Robert's short story collections online:• Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM• Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairheadPodcast Theme and Sound EffectsRoyalty-free music from Pixabay.com: Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 'Pastorale' – IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non-Troppo, performed by Karine Gilanyan.Sound effects licensed under Creative Commons 0 from FreeSound.org:• Dog wagging/thumping tail: https://freesound.org/people/tallandtrue/sounds/657779/• Dog panting: https://freesound.org/people/AGFX/sounds/221497/• Whistle: https://freesound.org/people/strongbot/sounds/568995/• Kids laughing: https://freesound.org/people/kikorurelas/sounds/642516/• Kettle boiling: https://freesound.org/people/cupido-1/sounds/433538/Production NotesTall And True Short Reads is produced using Audacity. Episodes are recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.Acast Podcast Supporter PageSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm taking a short break from writing and podcasting over the Xmas/New Year holiday period. But as a special treat for podcast listeners, I've put together a Kris Kringle collection featuring three "festive" episodes from the Tall And True Short Reads archive: The Gift, The Special Tree and The Spirit of Xmas.The Kris Kringle stories first appeared on the Tall And True writers' website and were written and narrated by Robert Fairhead:• The Gift: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/short-stories/the-gift.• The Special Tree: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/short-stories/the-special-tree• The Spirit of Xmas: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/blog/the-spirit-of-xmasPodcast website: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.comSupport the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-readsBuy Robert's short story collections online:• Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM• Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairheadPodcast Theme and Sound EffectsRoyalty-free music from Pixabay.com: Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 'Pastorale' – IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non-Troppo, performed by Karine Gilanyan.Sound effects licensed under Creative Commons 0 from FreeSound.org:• Santa's sleigh bells: https://freesound.org/people/BrianJamesLong/sounds/330415/• Male laughter: https://freesound.org/people/Eneasz/sounds/119459/• Female laughter: https://freesound.org/people/sagetyrtle/sounds/33658/• Party background: https://freesound.org/people/dbspin/sounds/396684/• Footsteps: https://freesound.org/people/Anthousai/sounds/398782/• Champagne cork: https://freesound.org/people/ultradust/sounds/166923/• Clock ticking-alarm: https://freesound.org/people/gecop/sounds/522119/• Door closing: https://freesound.org/people/sgcardinal/sounds/395753/• Bird song: https://freesound.org/people/ken788/sounds/386732/• Computer keyboard: https://freesound.org/people/D4XX/sounds/567266/• Slammed door: https://freesound.org/people/TiesWijnen/sounds/455540/• Chainsaw: https://freesound.org/people/piwilliwillski/sounds/548411/Production NotesTall And True Short Reads is produced using Audacity. Episodes are recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.Acast Podcast Supporter PageSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The writer John Banville observed, "Memory is imagination, and imagination is memory. I don't think we remember the past, we imagine it." I have vivid memories of my early childhood (I believe they're memories, not imagination), which is why the #5YearOldSelfie hashtag challenge on social media caught my eye.Memories and Imagination is a memoir piece from the Tall And True writers' website, written and narrated by Robert Fairhead.Read the piece: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/nonfiction/biography-memoir/memories-and-imaginationLink to my #5YearOldSelfie tweet on Twitter: https://twitter.com/tallandtrue/status/1159625729455222784Young Minds UK: https://www.youngminds.org.uk/John Banville: http://john-banville.com/Podcast website: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.comSupport the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-readsBuy Robert's short story collections online:• Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM• Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairheadPodcast Theme and Sound EffectsRoyalty-free music from Pixabay.com: Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 'Pastorale' – IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non-Troppo, performed by Karine Gilanyan.Sound effects licensed under Creative Commons 0 from FreeSound.org:• Slow Clock Ticking: https://freesound.org/people/Julien%20Matthey/sounds/457651/Production NotesTall And True Short Reads is produced using Audacity. Episodes are recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.Acast Podcast Supporter PageSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Are we there yet?" Milly whines from the back seat. "I'm bored," adds Tyler. "Oh, for goodness sake!" I snap, eyeballing the pair in the rear vision mirror. "It's only been two hours." Kids nowadays! The drive has been smooth and fast compared to the narrow, windy roads of my childhood family holidays.Are we there yet? is a short story from the Tall And True writers' website, written and narrated by Robert Fairhead.Read the story: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/short-stories/are-we-there-yetPodcast website: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.comSupport the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-readsBuy Robert's short story collections online:• Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM• Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairheadPodcast Theme and Sound EffectsRoyalty-free music from Pixabay.com: Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 'Pastorale' – IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non-Troppo, performed by Karine Gilanyan.Sound effects licensed under Creative Commons 0 from FreeSound.org:• Car Engine: https://freesound.org/people/devy32/sounds/439252/• Car Horn: https://freesound.org/people/craigsmith/sounds/479995/• Shop Doorbell: https://freesound.org/people/775noise/sounds/494565/• Playground: https://freesound.org/people/mshahen/sounds/503841/• Car Doors: https://freesound.org/people/oscaraudiogeek/sounds/333281/• Footsteps: https://freesound.org/people/Yuval/sounds/205817/Production NotesTall And True Short Reads is produced using Audacity. Episodes are recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.Acast Podcast Supporter PageSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I dread mornings like these when Facebook floods my timeline memories with posts and photos of Jas and the kids. On social media, we're still a happy family. Whereas in the real world, I live alone and only see the kids on weekends. But that's not Facebook's fault. It's just an algorithm.Timeline Memories is a short story from the Tall And True writers' website, written and narrated by Robert Fairhead.Read the story: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/short-stories/timeline-memoriesBlog Post with photo of Jet: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/blog/introducing-tall-and-true-short-readsPodcast website: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.comSupport the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-readsBuy Robert's short story collections online:• Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM• Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairheadPodcast Theme and Sound EffectsRoyalty-free music from Pixabay.com: Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 'Pastorale' – IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non-Troppo, performed by Karine Gilanyan.Sound effects licensed under Creative Commons 0 from FreeSound.org:• Post Notification: https://freesound.org/people/yfjesse/sounds/235911/• Background TV: https://freesound.org/people/o_ciz/sounds/475477/• Roller Coaster: https://freesound.org/people/tec_studio/sounds/98181/• Dog Barking: https://freesound.org/people/16FVolejnikovaA/sounds/498394/• Dog Tail Wagging: https://freesound.org/people/tallandtrue/sounds/657779/Production NotesTall And True Short Reads is produced using Audacity. Episodes are recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.Acast Podcast Supporter PageSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One fine October Sunday in 2020, I returned home from the morning dog walk to be greeted with the news our annual council clean-up was happening on Monday. After previous clean-ups, I thought we had nothing left to throw out. And I looked forward to a long productive day of writing … until I checked the attic and shed!Council Clean-ups and Recycling is a blog post from the Tall And True writers' website, written and narrated by Robert Fairhead.Read the post: https://www.tallandtrue.com.au/blog/council-cleanups-and-recyclingPodcast website: https://www.tallandtrueshortreads.comSupport the podcast: https://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-readsBuy Robert's short story collections online:• Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Fairhead/e/B086HZ36NM• Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/author/robert-fairheadPodcast Theme and Sound EffectsRoyalty-free music from Pixabay.com: Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 'Pastorale' – IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non-Troppo, performed by Karine Gilanyan.Sound effects licensed under Creative Commons 0 from FreeSound.org:• Garbage Truck: https://freesound.org/people/rodrigocswm/sounds/449437/Production NotesTall And True Short Reads is produced using Audacity. Episodes are recorded in Sydney, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.Acast Podcast Supporter PageSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/tall-and-true-short-reads. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.