Hello, Beautiful! by Hannie Rayson

Author:Hannie Rayson [Rayson, Hannie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: The Text Publishing Company
Published: 2015-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

The next day is Saturday. Outside, the weather is wet and cold. We make a fire and drink chicken soup in mugs. We eat toast soldiers and pad around in our ugg boots. As the rain slashes against the window and the fire crackles inside, there it is, the Saturday afternoon activity to make your heart sing. The school project.

Who among us has not experienced a surge of wholesome excitement at doing a grade 3 project? Pick a country, any country. Population, climate, location on the world map, agriculture, rivers and mountain ranges. Major imports and exports.

We have a packet of freshly sharpened Derwent pencils and a new sheet of crisp white cardboard from the newsagent. What more could a heart desire?

There has been some discussion about which country he should do. I want Spain because I am going there in November. He thinks that is expedient and out of the question, especially since he is still smarting from not being invited. His choice: the United States of America.

Typical, I think. What do you want to do that dumb place for?

It turns out that you have to bring food from your chosen country as part of your presentation. He is hoping I’ll supply twenty cheeseburgers from McDonald’s.

‘I will help you make a pumpkin pie,’ I offer.

We agree to settle the matter of the food later. I am keen to trace the map and label the fifty states. I am forty years old and I don’t know where Minnesota is. I get the baking paper from the bottom draw and lay it carefully across the atlas. ‘I’ll have a go first,’ I say. ‘But you have to make your own, okay?’

‘Sure,’ he says, not looking up from his copy of TV Hits.

The baking paper isn’t perfect, but it will suffice. Soon enough I am tripping along the Gulf of Mexico with my pencil, humming happily. God, this is satisfying! My friend’s mum, who is Austrian, recites the fifty states in alphabetical order to get to sleep at night. I vow to try this.

Meanwhile, my boy is learning about the Spice Girls’ Pepsi ad in America. This is additional research.

I’ve just coloured South Dakota a lovely canary yellow. Against the red of Nebraska and the burnt orange of Wyoming, this is coming up a treat. I think about the breathtaking amount of trivia taking up space in my son’s brain.

I pick up the Children’s Britannica and read aloud. ‘“The animal life of Alaska includes the caribou, walrus, musk-ox, seal and polar bear.” Make a note.’

‘Sure, Mum.’

I can tell I’ve hooked him in now. He wants to go to the shop and buy a Violet Crumble. Oh, why not? Learning shouldn’t be punitive. A walk. Fresh air. Good idea.

‘Will you drive me?’

What is it with this generation?

So off he stomps, into the rain.

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