SAVED BY AN ANGEL

Perihan's sure she drew dark forces into her apartment

Hanging a cross upside down on my bedroom wall, I stepped back to make sure it was straight.

'That looks cool,' I smiled.

It joined my skeleton doll and other gothic artefacts.

This feels oppressive,' sighed my flatmate Graeme, shaking his head.

I'm going to paint the room black next,' I laughed.

It was 1985 and, at the age of 20, I was into punk and dark wave music. I'd dress in an aggressive style of black leather jacket and trousers decorated with chains, straps, rings and buckles.

I'd scored a job as a hostess at Benny's Bar, a well-known nightclub in Potts Point, Sydney. Finishing in the early hours was no problem, as it was located right next to my apartment building.

The bar staff and patrons soon felt like a second family and I loved it there. On any Saturday night, it wasn't unusual to see Aussie icons such as INXS band members and Jimmy Barnes there, as well as international stars such as Tina Turner, Bob Dylan, U2 and Bruce Springsteen.