White Time by Margo Lanagan

Author:Margo Lanagan
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9781407097985
Publisher: RHCB Digital
Published: 2010-07-22T04:00:00+00:00

THE BOY

WHO DID N’T

YEARN

I should have realized straight off. Of all people, I, Tess Maxwell, should’ve seen him for what he was. I mean, I knew something was different, something big. My eyes kept going back to him. But I was caught up in people leaving the Art Cottage, and he was in the crowd going to the basketball courts, and we got swept away from each other, Keenoy Ribson and me.

I tried to work it out at the bus stop, the way you try and get a whole dream back using the one little shred you remember. But it turned into a flutter among flutters in my mind, and the bus came, and I went home.

I went home and I went to work – same place. I work in one square of home; ‘the parlour’, Mum calls it, a polite name for such a messy, personal kind of business premises.

My first client was a woman who was after her husband. He was right there with her, of course; the thick, dark string of his tether went from his worn slipper-toe to her right shoulder. He hung over her, griping.

‘He’s saying “Don’t burn the snags, Merrill,”’ I told her.

She laughed. ‘Oh yes, of course. Yes, that’s him. Same old whingeing bludger. God, I miss him!’ And she cried. They always cry when you tell them that kind of detail.

And then there was a man. He had a very handsome boyfriend – well, the handsome version alternated with a blotched, dying one who slid down to lie between us on the Turkish rug. ‘He’s very grateful for everything you did for him,’ I said. ‘It made it easier, he says. You did everything right. Robert, his name is.’ And the guy nodded, and he dissolved in tears, too. ‘You’re doing good work,’ I went on. ‘You think it’s pointless without Robert, but every day of your life you make a big difference to a lot of people. He’s not saying that; it’s just … clear, around you. There’s all this value; you’re very solid. What is your work?’

‘I’m a nurse,’ he said, through the complimentary tissues.

‘Oh, there you go, then.’

After him, I was tired, because it is tiring. But two clients means a hundred dollars. Five hundred dollars a week is a good amount – it means we can live, as well as keep Dad at Bernard House. If I were really determined I could do more, but … but I guess I’m not. We’re managing, aren’t we? We’re managing fine on two a night.

Mum was in the kitchen with a fruit-shake and a cheese muffin for me, and Dad was there, too, on home-care. I sat and ate and thought about bed.

‘Take Dad for a walk?’ said Mum.

I nodded. It was too early for bed; a walk would clear my head ready for homework.

It was cold outside, grey and darkening. I wheeled Dad up to the park, because the paths there have got nice, rounded corners, and I needed to be somewhere quiet, among trees and rotundas and curly metal seats.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.