Free Filling in the Gaps by Peter Keogh Page B

incident in Honolulu was when we decided to go swimming on the other side of the island. We took off in our trusty jeep, which had no top. Neither did Sach. After a magnificent day we headed back to our hotel, and being as saucy as ever, I dared Sach to take off his swimming trunks and sit there naked for a few miles. Never dare Sach to do anything! He immediately dropped his drawers and sat there naked as the day he was born. At the very same moment a bus filled with Japanese tourists pulled up beside us and cameras started flashing - as well as Sach. I took off at breakneck speed, terrified someone would report us to the hire car company and then the police. Thankfully no such thing happened, but I would love to have seen some of those photos in the Japanese tourists’ cameras!.

    Next stop Los Angeles. We loved West Hollywood but not the city of Los Angeles itself. It was only a short stopover but while there we went into a Kentucky Fried Chicken for a quick meal. Suddenly all hell broke loose as two huge and very aggressive African American men started to fight with the staff and make threats that they were going to kill them. Sach and I cowered under a table and I prayed with all my heart that I wouldn’t end my life on the floor of a KFC store in Los Angeles. We made our escape as the security guards took over but I was a wreck. As we left the two African Americans followed not far behind and wrecked the doors of the shop on their way out. Thankfully they didn’t see us, as we were sliding along the street with our backs to the wall, trying to become invisible.
    Then it was on to New York for a brief stop over before London, where we stayed with an old friend who was the headmaster of a large Catholic school. He organised for a few old friends to pop around for a drink and I went to see Su. It was a very painful meeting because we both knew it was really just confirming that it was time to go our own ways. Saying goodbye was one of the hardest things I have ever done, both of us tearful. I walked for hours all over Islington recollecting some of the most wonderful experiences and happiest times of my life, then walked into the West End past the Adelphi Theatre where Su had been a huge success in Me & My Girl, past Joe Allen’s Bar, which was a regular haunt of ours, and I finally went back to my friend’s home with a very heavy heart.
    I made my farewells to the people I had grown to love dearly, many of whom I still am in contact with, and came back to Australia. Had I done the right thing by Su and myself? There were so many questions and so few answers at that time. I felt guilty about returning to the gay scene. I couldn’t even admit to my family that Sacha was my partner; I told them he was just an old friend. The first thing I knew was that I wanted to help Mum over the loss of Dad and take her on a trip overseas, which was the absolute best move ever. When I look at the old videos of the trip I see that every scene emanates joy. It also enabled Mum to bond with Sach on a very deep level, so much so that Mum introduces him to everyone as her son-in-law !

Around the World with Mum and Sach
    Off we went via Sydney, first to Hawaii where Mum fell in love with every aspect of the place - even the smells! We couldn’t really afford to stay anywhere too grand and always shared the one bedroom with two double beds, but the laughs we had on that trip still make us smile today whenever we talk about aspects of the journey. We went to a Luau, which Mum loved, and even learnt the hula. She enjoyed every second of every day. The other day she stayed with Sach and me overnight after another hard night in hospital and Sach bought her some coconut ice cream. As soon as she tasted it she started reminiscing about the happy times she had in Hawaii. She loved piña coladas more than anything and often after a lovely night dining on the beach she would share some of her most private thoughts about her