Nightingale and I found ourselves in the outpatients department of a major hospital. Over previous couple of months, Tallulah’s behaviour had become increasingly erratic. When Nightingale had eventually questioned him about where he was going and why there was no money in the kitty, he had become increasingly agitated and sometimes mildly violent. He was making good money but what was he doing with it?
One day, in a fit of curiosity, she decided to tail him in her car, as he went off to do a session in a recording studio. She noticed that he parked his car in Greville Street, a super cool and funky part of Prahran. He then disappeared into a coffee shop and she patiently sat and watched from her car as he stayed there for hours.
Back at home, naturally, she confronted him but he wasn’t ready to have his delusion shattered. He took it badly and slammed her against the wall. He stormed off and she rang me for help.
So, as I said, Nightingale and I found ourselves in the outpatients department of a major hospital. But it wasn’t to see a medical doctor, it was to see a psychiatric doctor about reporting Tallulah’s behaviour to get him some help (read ‘taken away’). Needless to say, were both pretty scared to go back to the flat.
It turns out that Tallulah was not a session singer and in fact could not sing at all. He had never been near a recording studio in his life and the whole thing had been one big fabrication. He was actually on the dole and using all of his money for ceramic nails, clothes, make up and socializing.
Everything became clear now. Not just the lack of money but also his behaviour when I invited him to record backing vocals at my home studio. I remember him grabbing my guitar tuner to try to have something to pitch to saying ‘we use these in this big studios all the time’. It did seem a bit strange but I shrugged it off.
Back at the hospital, there was nothing they could do for Tallulah. He would have to admit himself voluntarily. They could not ‘ come and take him away’ based on our testimony. This was a dilemma.
