I have subsequently found a few more contenders for the Best Writing In An As Yet Unrecognised Field, subsection: Text Messages. They are:

 

1. Tim Bain (already nominated in another category) for a text message that came in after I was misquoted in The Age saying that I wanted to hand in my citizenship documents and leave the country. Knowing this would not have pleased me, Tim sent the following text:

Bon Voyage, traitor!

 

2. A housemate of mine wrote the following text message when I was at the supermarket and she had stayed home:

Toilet paper? she asked hopefully.

 

3. Another housemate, home sick and having taught herself knitting:

I didn’t want such a long scarf but I don’t know how to cast off.

(Quite a nice metaphor I've always thought)

 

4. Stewart again, to Rita and myself:

Greetings fellow existers!

 

5. My friend Annabelle, who saw our 2007 comedy festival show which included a small appearance from Jane Austen in an Elizabethan style dress that I thought nobody would recognise:

I think my favourite thing was jane austen wearing your formal dress.

 

6. And lastly, from Melanie Howlett, Standing There Captain of Industry, who took me to my first Sydney Writers' Festival and saw Alex Miller reading at a session at which our table, quite literally, caught fire. Some months later, I texted Mel because I had seen Alex Miller at my local cafe. For several days, I got no response. Then:


This is a belated wow how cool that you saw alex miller! Had to google him before responding. See you very soon!

 

 

I love people. And it's going to be a tough decision from the judges, oh yes indeed.