Image by: Tim Veling

Image by: Tim Veling

JOHN PAUL

I’m 90 this year, so these earthquakes are not something I wanted to happen. I’d planned on being where I am now for the duration. Yes, quite content to stay and see it out here, let them carry me out that front door! Well, life’s still got a few surprises it seems. One thing’s for sure, it’s not going to be this front door!

I had been teaching in Canada for a time and when the wife and I came back we bought the first of our places here in Avonside Drive. In Canada, they had started putting up houses in the back of big sections and I thought we could do the same here. Well, I had a heck of a job getting a permit from the Council, but we finally did, we built it!  A week after the initial earthquake, I went around to our old house and there was a lady coming out. I told her who I was; I mentioned that my wife and I used to live there.

I said, "We actually built the flat on the back." 

"Oh," she said. "He went the first morning. The tenant, he’s never been back."

I said, "Is that right?"

She said, "Everything’s buggered, it’s all tumbling down."

"It was a lovely flat," I said.

She just sort of looked at me, and she left the front door open.  She said, "It’s fallen off the foundation. You see that car out there, that’s my son, he’s taking me to Nelson. I’m going up there to live. You do what you like, I’m not coming back."

"Oh heavens," I said, "Will I shut the door?" But, I don’t think she cared? 

She was off. I went in and had a look around, my wife died 12 years ago now, so it took me back to things. I used to live here I thought..... a long time ago.