The Key to Anchor Lake ✓

12 : The Anchor Lakey

15th April 2019

THE ANCHOR LAKEY: Episode 136

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Intro: A segment of Ludovico Einaudi's "Fly" is played on the piano over a track of rustling trees and whispering.

SUKIE:

Hi, guys! Sukie here, welcome to an extra special episode of The Anchor Lakey! Today I'm joined by Anchor Lake's newest resident and The Anchor Lakey's newest fan, who I met a couple of hours ago when she showed up to The Flour Patch in the midst of a rainstorm. Let's start with the basics – name, age, and ... is it too cliché to ask for a fun fact?

[Blaire laughs warily]

BLAIRE:

Um, okay. My name's Blaire, I'm nineteen – twenty in August – and, uh, I guess my fun fact is that I've been to forty-two countries.

SUKIE:

Forty-two?! How!?

BLAIRE:

I used to travel with my mum, ever since I was a kid. She took me to France when I was three, and we've been all over the world since.

SUKIE:

Wow, that's so cool. Where's the furthest you've been? Which country's your favourite?

BLAIRE:

I think the furthest was New Zealand. That's, what, twelve thousand miles away? But my favourite was ... ugh, I don't know. I've loved most of the places I've been. I think my favourite city probably has to be New York. I know that's a total cliché, but it's where I've spent the most time other than London.

SUKIE:

Oh my god, I'm so jealous. I've always wanted to go to New York, but the furthest I've ever made it is London.

[They both laugh]

So, if you're such a worldly traveller, how come you've ended up in Anchor Lake? It's not exactly on par with New Zealand and New York. What brings you to town? And how did you find out about the Anchor Lakey?

BLAIRE:

I was in the library on Friday and I saw the poster on the notice board, and I was intrigued when I read about the dark history and mystery. I was looking for something to distract me, you know, take my mind off itself, and your podcast – this podcast – turned out to be exactly what I needed.

SUKIE:

How come?

BLAIRE:

Because my mum died two weeks ago, and after a lifetime of thinking she was my only family in the entire world, I found out that I have an aunt who lives here. It's a massive adjustment and I'm struggling, a lot, but the podcast has really helped.

[There's a shuffle when Sukie throws out a hand to stop the recording; Blaire pushes her hand away]

It's okay. Talking about it. It's fine.

SUKIE:

Are you sure? We can stop any time. Oh, god, I had no idea. I'm so sorry, Blaire. That's awful. I mean, I'm honoured that The Anchor Lakey has been a useful distraction, but I am so sorry about what you're going through.

BLAIRE:

Thank you. I found it at just the right time. It's been the perfect distraction, really. Maybe it's not the healthiest way of coping, but I'll do whatever works. Who'd have thought that a podcast about tragedy was exactly what I needed?