Tim Bach

Over the past six years, readers of The Wombat Post have come to know Petrus Spronk through his thoughtful, searching, often deeply personal columns. In recent months, his absence has been keenly felt. I visited Petrus at his home to pass the time of day and to catch up on where he’s been.

You disappeared from The Wombat Post quite suddenly late last year and although news of you filters through our small community, our readers would like to know how you are and what you’re are up to.

Yeah… it’s a strange thing… that you lose… that you disappear from the machine.

Last July I was putting all of my energy into a production for Words in Winter and then I had a car accident. I was a long time recovering from that but I did manage to do the show at Words in Winter and I even carried it on to the Castlemaine Festival.

But writing is very difficult for me and although I still have the creative spirit, I’m unable to use my computer. I can still write things by hand. Parkinson’s… It changes things… Slowly at first, and then more.

You’ve written before about the “gift” of Parkinson’s. Do you still think of it that way?

The difference is… with something like cancer, you can do something about it. I had cancer about eight years ago but the treatments I received cured it. With Parkinson’s… it just gets worse and worse.

I used to see it as something that forced me to change my art, to find other ways, to give up some things. That was true. But now it just takes more and more away.

What kinds of things has it taken?

I had to change my art. I couldn’t make my bowls so I started making shards by moulding clay onto shapes like my car. But when that became too hard, I focussed on my writing and storytelling. I still play with Dorodango balls. But I can’t use my computer anymore and I’ve even had to give up my writing. I used to just talk… fill up the room. Then I started to forget words. I would come to a word and I just couldn’t… be sure. So I started to write the stories and read them. And now… this will be the next thing to give up… reading the stories.

I’ve had to give up a lot of stuff. And it’s hard… it’s a grieving process.

You’ve also had some physical challenges beyond writing and speaking. It sounds like your world has become smaller in some ways.

Yes… but also different.

One of the things Parkinson’s does… is your throat. You lose control. I had an experience where something got stuck… completely blocked the air. You realise how quickly everything can go. So now I have to be careful what I eat.

There are people helping – “Team Spronk” –  friends who come. People learning what to do. That matters. Nikki Marshall coordinates them so that one of them visits me each day and helps me do my shopping, go on outings and get to my medical appointments. One of them helped me when I was choking.

Nikki organised for a retired doctor from Yandoit to teach all of the people in Team Spronk how to help me if I had another choking incident.

But you’re still planning a show for Words in Winter this year? I recall you telling me two years ago that that would be your last WiW. But it wasn’t. Last year you did a performance with Benoit Oury, the clarinettist, despite the fact that you had seven broken ribs and a broken sternum from the car accident!

Yes. I couldn’t help myself. But I had to make changes. I have less control now. So this time, I’ll use another voice. Another person’s voice.

I’m not in charge… I’m just part of it. An equal partner.  It’s a bit scary… not to be in charge.

What will the performance involve?

I will introduce the evening and then Toby Syme will read a story. And then Benoit will play music… something that allows the audience to consider what they’ve just heard.

It works for me. It gives me space.

So you’re still very much with us. Your creative spirit is very much alive but you’ve needed to find different ways of expressing it. You’re not ready to say good bye just yet.

No… don’t make it so final. Maybe it’s better to say… this is an update.

So, where is Petrus?

I am here. Just… doing things differently.

Petrus Spronk’s creations may be changing, but his creative spirit is undiminished. His creativity is moving in different directions and he is grappling with new questions – about loss, adaptation, and his contribution to the community. And he’s finding new ways to continue the conversation.

Tim Bach is a member of The Wombat Post Editorial Committee