The girl with nine toes, Ray Wilkins [black female authors .TXT] 📗

hopefull on the other side he felt
unsure and in doubt. As soon as he got up to the path he
closed his eyes and searched for the place inside that was
now his most important guide. Immedietly he felt more
in balance and found himself standing on his right foot
on the side of his body that felt more sure, safe and
positive.“How did I know that?„ he said to himself.
“She's probably using her brain waves again to
manipulate me, that little beast!”
The two men on duty ran up to him one of them
said, “Sorry boss we lost you for about two minutes in
the undergrowth, time to go home?„ John nodded, and
followed his men back to the car.


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The world is a playground
So let’s go and play
Instead of going to war


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Chapter 20


A week later John was sitting in his office
thinking about all the things that had happened since he
had last spoken to that girl. On Tuesday he had
organised a meeting together with Brian, John Catterall-
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Peter Billingham -Minister
for Industry, Tourism and Resources; and Geoff Brown
- Minister for Education, Science and Training. These
were men that he had known for many years, men that he
could trust with his life, men that he called friends.
“John” said Peter Billingham “ we don't quite know
what's been happening to you over the last few weeks ,
but to be honest with you, for a time, we lost our trust in
you. Over the years you have changed. You used to be
like a bull in a china shop. Full of spit and guts - we
respected you. Yeah! you were sometimes doing your
lone wolf thing , but at least we knew what your goals
and visions were. Somewhere along the line, and I know
I've said this many times over the past three years or so ,
we lost you, or you lost us.„
The other men except for Brian nodded there heads
as Peter spoke. Geoff puffing on his German pipe. John
starring down at his hands. Brian looking gruffly through
his hooded bushy eyebrows. “We've tried to steer this
leaky boat through a recession, a small war and mounting
unemployment rates, at times we felt alone in our Senate
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and State offices, and even though our captain wasn't
always standing on the bridge I think we've done a fair
job. John , we can see what your'e going through Mary
dying, you losing your self confidence and the trouble
that you've had at home. But if we are going to stop this
bloody boat from sinking, a lot of things will have to
change. The memos that you're putting out and the
unforgettable Advisory meeting last week, as well as your
speeches in Parliament, remind me of the John I used to
know, the changes you suggested are radical and for me
personally I can also see you changing radically . I can't
say exactly what it is - but I like it.„
Brian smiled knowingly and sipped his tea.“Jesus
John! why can't you take that bloody cork out of yer
mouth and speak normally„ laughed Geoff “We've
known each other for almost twenty years and your
talking to John as if he's the Prime Minister of Australia
and not our dearest friend.„ John turned a deep shade of
red and closed his mouth. “You've been a bastard over
the las tfew years, you hardly talk to us, the only
communication we have is through official
communiques. . You look like something the cat dragged
in and your diplomatic prowess is on slowmo. John, I
love and respect you and I can't say how happy I am to
see that you've taken the ball into your own hands once
again and that your'e running instead of crawling. I also
don't know what your'e doing, undergoing
Psychotherapy? Become enlightened? Or you've seen the
Holy Ghost! All I know is that it's bloody great to be
with you again, by the way anybody for a beer?„ He
reached into his very large, old and battered briefcase and
passed the bottles around. Everybody laughed and
cheered. John told his friends the whole story, Brian filled
in on all the parts that he'd missed out. Everybody
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listened intently to the story, the only interuption was
when the cook from the canteen brought in a large plate
of fish and chips with tomato sauce and mayonaise that
Brian had apparently pre -ordered . When John finished
telling them about what the girl had said about friendship
they all just couldn't hold out any longer. “Cheers to
friends!„ shouted John , and they all laughed together
once again clicking their bottles together. Even though all
five friends felt light and cheery inside their hearts, they
all knew without a shadow of doubt that they had an
ongoing battle coming up, a battle against the opposition,
the cynics, old and new enemies.
“I can't tell you how thankfull I feel for your
friendship and support, all four of you are for me like
brothers. Brothers joined together to change this country.
When I first met that girl, she said that I must learn to
lead with the heart now I have the feeling that you four
are my heartstrings, leading my heart to beat the rhythm
of a united Australia…„
“Jesus mate ,cut it out will ya„ said Geoff, “We're
not here to hold ya bloody hand and listen to your
enlightened speeches about changing the world, we are
here to fight together and whatever happens, I personally
know that in a battle the best person to have on your side
is a friend, and you’ve got four of these now sitting in
your office drinking beer and putting tomato sauce stains
on your genuine Merino wool carpet - so let's do what
your girl down by the river said we should do and have
some damn fun at the same time!„ Everybody laughed
and the sun went down behind Black Mountain marking
the end of a very special day.

That evening after a great dinner with the girls
John went to bed early, closing his eyes his thoughts went
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back to his four friends he could hear their voices and
almost smell there bodies as his mind drifted into another
space in another time.


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The past is the gateway to
changing the future


95

Chapter 21


This time the bush was much denser and all he
could see was trees and thick Banksia bushes with their
deep red Bottlebrush flowers and Wattle trees fighting for
the sunlight that was streaming weakly onto the forest
floor. The light was somehow not quite there, but he
could still see clearly all around in every direction. He
could see the deep colours of the bush, madder red,
amber and that red brown colour that sometimes almost
turns to black. He could see the patterns on the ground
changing, depending on the light, turning into circles or
curling snakes, always moving and turning , transforming
the earth into a kaleidoscope of dancing forms as if
drawing him into their magic circle. He felt himself
becoming hypnotised by the never ending patterns
changing and swirling on the ground until all of a sudden
the ground opened up and he fell into blackness.
He felt himself falling, deeper and deeper his
clothes flapping in the wind, he closed his eyes preparing
himself to die and then, just as he started thinking about
what Caroline and Sarah would do without him when he
died he felt his descent slowing down- presently he felt
solid ground under his feet.
“John where have you been? I've been waiting for
ages the film's about to start.„
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I gasped, hearing the voice of Mary, I then saw her
standing under the red and blue lights of the Civic
Cinema , where we used to go when we first met, mainly
to come together secretly and less to see the films.
“Sorry darling I got caught up in the traffic on
Wentworth Avenue, lets go get our tickets before it
starts.„ We walked hand in hand to the ticket counter I
paid for two tickets for the balcony . .On the way we
stopped at the refreshments counter and bought a box of
Toffifees and two Cokes . After finding our seats I put
my arm longingly around her shoulder, scenting her
perfume I whispered into her ear, “Mary, I will love you
forever.„ She whispered back.
“I will love you even longer.„
The film was one of those arty French films about Milky
Wood or something similar, but for Mary and me the film
was unimportant , all that mattered was that we were
together and not more than ten centimeters away from
each other. As we walked back to the car we talked about
the daily happenings at the University, about my Mother
who was planning on either murdering my Father or
divorcing him, and on which day we wanted to get
married. The night was warm , it had just rained , and you
could smell that familiar smell of wet ashphalt as the
steam rose off the road giving the night that Humphrey
Bogart feeling that Mary really loved. I could feel our
bodies touching each other as we walked arm in arm to
the carpark.
“John where would you like to go for our
honeymoon?„ Her sultry voice pulled me out of my
daydream back into reality.
“How about Coober Pedy?„ I said, without even
thinking.
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“Yes that’s a great idea! Then you can show me the
place where you grew up,