Mum’s driving the station wagon, Jenny, Jack and Grace in the back. Butch and Becky in the footwells grizzling. Esky, bags, towels, birdcage. The back-back is full. Suitcases on the roof rack. Butch looks guilty. ‘Mum, Butch farted.’

Something Beginning With Chaos by Ash Rehn

Our family holidays were predictable yet anxiety-ridden occasions, drama always within striking distance. With dogs, kids and my parents own baggage packed tightly together, hurtling down the highway, something had to go wrong. It's only now looking back can I see the humour of my childhood.

Ash was grazed in Brisbane and almost destroyed on the Gold Coast. Now he writes ficto-memoir as self-therapy. He publishes on Patreon and on his website.

Something Beginning with Chaos is read by Glen Morrow. Glen is a voice-over artist and host of the podcast, Stories Of You.

Acknowledgements:

Memoria is written,  produced, edited and presented by Nat V.

Ash Rehn's short story, Something Beginning With Chaos, is written by Ash and read by Glen Morrow. The story is sound designed by Natalie Vella.

Music in this episode is by Blue Dot Sessions,   "Pat Dog" and "Heliotrope".

Illustrations by Peta Manning. Her book, See Me Doodle, is out now.