[A/N. this story is set in Australia, in a fairly small country town called
Alexandra, about two hours east of Melbourne. By Australian country town
standards it's large enough, considering it has a hospital, schools, and a
main street with the BASIC shops. But for city-dwellers, who rarely wander
that far without a reason it's very small!]
ONE:
"And this is the main street." Mum explained as we drove through the town center. "See-there are a few shops here, so its not like we're stuck with a general store on it's own or something. And down there is the park. And up there is the hospital where I'm working. And over that way is your school."
I frowned, and folded my arms across my chest. Okay so the main street was a little bigger than I had expected, but it was hardly Collins Street now was it? You could drive from one end of the main street to the other in a matter of minutes. And there was no "Sportsgirl" or "Just Jeans" there-just the basic shops like a newsagent, chemist, supermarket, pub, a couple of small clothing shops and a few stores which seemed to have everything. I didn't think that I'd be able to make a day of shopping like I did back home! I noticed that further down the main street there was a tourist information map, and the police station.
Mum noticed my silence as we turned off the main street and onto the beginning of a highway.
"Well, don't you at least think it's pretty?" she asked, her voice a little softer than usual. I knew that the move here had been a big decision for her, but she decided that after years of living in the city the country would be nice for a change. My Dad's a truck driver and is only home on and off, so it didn't really bother him where we lived. He's always put Mum and her career as a surgeon first. He was currently on the way back from Sydney, and would be arriving probably the next afternoon. As we drove out of the town and towards our new place I noticed the houses get fewer and farer between.
"Yes Mum it's pretty." I said. I had to admit the place did have it's own charm! The thing was simply that I was used to the city-we'd lived only a few minutes out of it in a suburb called Richmond. We were right near all the shopping outlets, and a five-minute tram ride took us into the center of town! And now here I was about an hour and a half away from the city outskirts, in a tiny town who had only a few hundred people living in and around it, in the middle of nowhere. Even though I'd promised Dad I'd be open to the whole thing I couldn't help but be somewhat skeptical.
"Isn't the house perfect? Just perfect?" Mum asked me when we drove up the long driveway, which lead from the highway to our new home. On either side of the house were far stretching paddocks, dotted with the occasional cow grazing, and a few sparse trees. Our house itself owned two of these paddocks, but according to the real-estate agent they'd been leased out to a farmer for so long he thought he owned them, and any attempt on our part to ask him to leave would be like waving a red flag in front of a bull. In the distance I saw another house-my next door neighbor!
"Perfect is one word for it." I muttered, but Mom either didn't get my meaning or chose to ignore it. I was looking at the house itself. It was actually fairly large, with the top story being a large master bedroom, bathroom and small living room. It was white weatherboard, and the paint was chipping a little, although it added to the rustic feel it gave out. There was a large bay window out the front, which looked in on the lounge room. Beside the house on either side were large trees, and along the edges of the house were planted neat rows of flowers. All in all it looked exactly like a country home should. No wonder my parents loved it!
The moving van rumbled up the drive behind us, and Mum and I got out to help them direct things into the right rooms. It seemed like they were quite quick, but when they'd finished I realised they'd been there for a few hours, and it was beginning to get dark. The rumbling of my stomach reminded me it had been awhile since we had stopped for lunch in another town on the way up.
I went to find my Mum who was unpacking boxes in the messy kitchen and dining room.
"Hey Mum, I'm starving. What do you say we order a pizza or something?" I asked, leaning on the kitchen counter.
"Great idea Claire." Mum said emerging from a box. "Two problems. One, the phone isn't getting connected until tomorrow. Two, I don't think they deliver pizza in the country."
I stared at her. "What?" It occurred to me that we'd moved to a different planet here!
"Don't look at me like that." Mum grumbled. "I told you life was different in the country."
"Different hey?" I muttered. "Well I guess we should go into town and get something then."
Mum glanced at her watch. "We better hurry though. Shops here are open until five at the latest, and they don't open at all on Sundays. And take- away shops probably close at eight or so."
I didn't say anything to that. I think I was in shock. I made up my mind then that after I turned eighteen at the end of the year and finished high school I was going straight back to Melbourne.
Mum got her purse and keys and we went into "town" to get something to eat. As we drove Mum again asked what I though of the house.
"It's nice." I admitted grudgingly. "And my room's nice too. It's got this country feel about it. I wouldn't mind getting a nice new doona for my bed or something to make it look really country too. Actually that's a fashion thing at the moment!"
Mum laughed. "So I'm finally fashionable then?" She asked.
I glanced at her in her old jeans, and dirty jumper and shook my head. "I'm afraid not Mum, but that's okay. Mum's aren't meant to be fashionable."
She laughed again. "Really? Let me tell you young lady in my time I was very hip. I wore the bell bottoms, and mini skirts and was into the whole hippy scene!"
I raised an eyebrow. "I bet you changed once you went to Uni?" I asked.
"Not really. Melbourne Uni was filled with hippies back then. And I did my postgrad research out at La Trobe which was even more so!" Mum replied, as we reached the main street. Most shops were closed, and there were only a few cars parked up and down the street. The pub was open, as were the two take-away shops.
"How about we go the pub Mum?" I asked. "I bet you could do with a nice cold beer after all your hard work."
"Nice try." Mum replied. "I know what you're thinking, and the answer is no."
I wished, not for the first time in the last few minutes, that I was eighteen so I could just go on into the pub and get a drink!
We went into the take-away shop closest and ordered some fish and chips.
While they cooked the woman behind the counter chatted to us.
"Just passing through or here for a holiday?" She asked Mum.
"We've just moved here actually. I'm working at the hospital now." Mum replied.
"Ah the new surgeon, right." The woman said, nodding. "So where are you living?"
Mum told her and she nodded again. "The old Johnson house. It's been empty for nearly five years now, so it's good they finally sold it."
"I think it's gorgeous." Mum said. "And the price was very reasonable."
"Well it would be wouldn't it?" The woman replied, giving Mum a strange look.
I saw Mum frown, puzzled. "Sorry?" She asked.
"Nothing, nothing." The woman said, but it was clear to me that she was avoiding the topic, and then she turned to me. "So, you'll be starting school in two weeks?"
"Yes, I'll be in year twelve." I replied.
"Ah, my daughter's in year twelve too!" The woman said. "If you get a chance before school starts pop in sometime in the day-she works here sometimes for extra money. It'd be nice for you to get to know someone before the term starts. And maybe she could introduce you to some of the other young people round here?"
I nodded. It would be nice to get to know someone! Otherwise the next two weeks could be very, very boring!
We took our tea home to eat, and it wasn't long after that I decided to go to bed. I was tired from the long day, and I knew I had a lot of unpacking ahead of me in the next few days. It took me ages to find my pajamas in all the boxes piled up in my room, but I finally found them and crawled into bed. Despite my tiredness it took me awhile to get to sleep. The country was so quiet! I was used to cars, and noise! And there was something about the house-I guess because it was new-which made me reluctant to close my eyes and sleep. Eventually though I fell into a deep sleep.
ONE:
"And this is the main street." Mum explained as we drove through the town center. "See-there are a few shops here, so its not like we're stuck with a general store on it's own or something. And down there is the park. And up there is the hospital where I'm working. And over that way is your school."
I frowned, and folded my arms across my chest. Okay so the main street was a little bigger than I had expected, but it was hardly Collins Street now was it? You could drive from one end of the main street to the other in a matter of minutes. And there was no "Sportsgirl" or "Just Jeans" there-just the basic shops like a newsagent, chemist, supermarket, pub, a couple of small clothing shops and a few stores which seemed to have everything. I didn't think that I'd be able to make a day of shopping like I did back home! I noticed that further down the main street there was a tourist information map, and the police station.
Mum noticed my silence as we turned off the main street and onto the beginning of a highway.
"Well, don't you at least think it's pretty?" she asked, her voice a little softer than usual. I knew that the move here had been a big decision for her, but she decided that after years of living in the city the country would be nice for a change. My Dad's a truck driver and is only home on and off, so it didn't really bother him where we lived. He's always put Mum and her career as a surgeon first. He was currently on the way back from Sydney, and would be arriving probably the next afternoon. As we drove out of the town and towards our new place I noticed the houses get fewer and farer between.
"Yes Mum it's pretty." I said. I had to admit the place did have it's own charm! The thing was simply that I was used to the city-we'd lived only a few minutes out of it in a suburb called Richmond. We were right near all the shopping outlets, and a five-minute tram ride took us into the center of town! And now here I was about an hour and a half away from the city outskirts, in a tiny town who had only a few hundred people living in and around it, in the middle of nowhere. Even though I'd promised Dad I'd be open to the whole thing I couldn't help but be somewhat skeptical.
"Isn't the house perfect? Just perfect?" Mum asked me when we drove up the long driveway, which lead from the highway to our new home. On either side of the house were far stretching paddocks, dotted with the occasional cow grazing, and a few sparse trees. Our house itself owned two of these paddocks, but according to the real-estate agent they'd been leased out to a farmer for so long he thought he owned them, and any attempt on our part to ask him to leave would be like waving a red flag in front of a bull. In the distance I saw another house-my next door neighbor!
"Perfect is one word for it." I muttered, but Mom either didn't get my meaning or chose to ignore it. I was looking at the house itself. It was actually fairly large, with the top story being a large master bedroom, bathroom and small living room. It was white weatherboard, and the paint was chipping a little, although it added to the rustic feel it gave out. There was a large bay window out the front, which looked in on the lounge room. Beside the house on either side were large trees, and along the edges of the house were planted neat rows of flowers. All in all it looked exactly like a country home should. No wonder my parents loved it!
The moving van rumbled up the drive behind us, and Mum and I got out to help them direct things into the right rooms. It seemed like they were quite quick, but when they'd finished I realised they'd been there for a few hours, and it was beginning to get dark. The rumbling of my stomach reminded me it had been awhile since we had stopped for lunch in another town on the way up.
I went to find my Mum who was unpacking boxes in the messy kitchen and dining room.
"Hey Mum, I'm starving. What do you say we order a pizza or something?" I asked, leaning on the kitchen counter.
"Great idea Claire." Mum said emerging from a box. "Two problems. One, the phone isn't getting connected until tomorrow. Two, I don't think they deliver pizza in the country."
I stared at her. "What?" It occurred to me that we'd moved to a different planet here!
"Don't look at me like that." Mum grumbled. "I told you life was different in the country."
"Different hey?" I muttered. "Well I guess we should go into town and get something then."
Mum glanced at her watch. "We better hurry though. Shops here are open until five at the latest, and they don't open at all on Sundays. And take- away shops probably close at eight or so."
I didn't say anything to that. I think I was in shock. I made up my mind then that after I turned eighteen at the end of the year and finished high school I was going straight back to Melbourne.
Mum got her purse and keys and we went into "town" to get something to eat. As we drove Mum again asked what I though of the house.
"It's nice." I admitted grudgingly. "And my room's nice too. It's got this country feel about it. I wouldn't mind getting a nice new doona for my bed or something to make it look really country too. Actually that's a fashion thing at the moment!"
Mum laughed. "So I'm finally fashionable then?" She asked.
I glanced at her in her old jeans, and dirty jumper and shook my head. "I'm afraid not Mum, but that's okay. Mum's aren't meant to be fashionable."
She laughed again. "Really? Let me tell you young lady in my time I was very hip. I wore the bell bottoms, and mini skirts and was into the whole hippy scene!"
I raised an eyebrow. "I bet you changed once you went to Uni?" I asked.
"Not really. Melbourne Uni was filled with hippies back then. And I did my postgrad research out at La Trobe which was even more so!" Mum replied, as we reached the main street. Most shops were closed, and there were only a few cars parked up and down the street. The pub was open, as were the two take-away shops.
"How about we go the pub Mum?" I asked. "I bet you could do with a nice cold beer after all your hard work."
"Nice try." Mum replied. "I know what you're thinking, and the answer is no."
I wished, not for the first time in the last few minutes, that I was eighteen so I could just go on into the pub and get a drink!
We went into the take-away shop closest and ordered some fish and chips.
While they cooked the woman behind the counter chatted to us.
"Just passing through or here for a holiday?" She asked Mum.
"We've just moved here actually. I'm working at the hospital now." Mum replied.
"Ah the new surgeon, right." The woman said, nodding. "So where are you living?"
Mum told her and she nodded again. "The old Johnson house. It's been empty for nearly five years now, so it's good they finally sold it."
"I think it's gorgeous." Mum said. "And the price was very reasonable."
"Well it would be wouldn't it?" The woman replied, giving Mum a strange look.
I saw Mum frown, puzzled. "Sorry?" She asked.
"Nothing, nothing." The woman said, but it was clear to me that she was avoiding the topic, and then she turned to me. "So, you'll be starting school in two weeks?"
"Yes, I'll be in year twelve." I replied.
"Ah, my daughter's in year twelve too!" The woman said. "If you get a chance before school starts pop in sometime in the day-she works here sometimes for extra money. It'd be nice for you to get to know someone before the term starts. And maybe she could introduce you to some of the other young people round here?"
I nodded. It would be nice to get to know someone! Otherwise the next two weeks could be very, very boring!
We took our tea home to eat, and it wasn't long after that I decided to go to bed. I was tired from the long day, and I knew I had a lot of unpacking ahead of me in the next few days. It took me ages to find my pajamas in all the boxes piled up in my room, but I finally found them and crawled into bed. Despite my tiredness it took me awhile to get to sleep. The country was so quiet! I was used to cars, and noise! And there was something about the house-I guess because it was new-which made me reluctant to close my eyes and sleep. Eventually though I fell into a deep sleep.