A Sad Story.

As I begin to see posts about the new issue of Frankie popping up in my reader, I get small, stabbing, pains in my head. Ouch! Each new issue pricks me a little… each enthused reader brings on a bit of a headache…

And this is why.

I loved Frankie from the first moment I saw it, which happened to be issue two. I worked at Borders then, and would hassle the magazine guy constantly when I knew the new issue was due, then I would grab a copy – unsoiled by human hands & race to the registers to buy it, then I would savour every moment of flicking through the pages, reading about things that were interesting, things that I liked – about opshopping & making things for goodness sake!

It was so unlike any other magazine I had ever read. I connected with it in a way that I never had (if you don’t count wanting to be most of the models in Dolly when I was a tween) before. I love, love, loved it. I sent away for issue #1 & dutifully collected every new issue.

Until.

I went off it a little. There were a few issues there that hit the wrong note for me. I thought Frankie had left me behind. I flicked through quickly but didn’t make it to the register…

And then.

We were moving. From Sydney. To Melbourne. I had an 8 week old baby. I was frazzled. I was packing on my own while The Boy was in Melbourne house hunting. I looked at my hefty pile of Frankie. I figured since it had moved on, or I had moved on, I might as well get rid of them & not lug them interstate.

So.

Into the recycle bin, they went.

All of them.

Gone.

I didn’t mind at the time. All that mattered to me right then was surviving the move with the little Punk. I didn’t even think of it again until, one day before a train trip I picked up a copy of Frankie at the newsagent & flicked through it. It had returned to form. I liked it. I bought it.

I have bought them all since.

But.

I don’t keep them.

I can’t.

The teeny stack they would make would grate on me, I know it, so I give them to the oppy, or to someone on the train who looks like they might like it, but I don’t keep them, anymore.

Every new issue is met with excitement yes – but also with a little sadness, especially when informed that issue one can now fetch over $100.

Ouch.