The Aussie Outback
Rose left the café with regret as she felt pressured by time. Was she running to something better or in the opposite direction, she asked herself looking at the other people hurrying around. She recalled a gypsy proverb that her grandma used a lot while she was growing up: ‘Stay where there are songs’! Rose was not entirely sure of its meaning. Remember to ask Letitia, she left herself a mental note!
Rose left without seeing Stefano. She wanted to thank him for the flowers. Another time, she promised herself. In the last minute, on her way home, she decided to stop at the Pharmacy to buy some girly stuff for protection and to her surprise she was asked to see the doctor first. So she had to fill in a questionnaire and to answer lots of questions. The doctor was a female of middle age, busy and looking tired but very pleasant and easy to talk to.
She wanted to know if Rose was of aboriginal descent, probably because of her chocolate colored skin and then encouraged Rose to have a test for infectious and transmissible diseases when she heard that Rose had unprotected sex. The doctor was definitely thorough and appeared to know what she was doing but the time was not on Rose’s side and she could feel that she was getting more agitated now.
After some blood was taken, blood pressure and body mass index checked, script written for the pill Rose left in a hurry with the promise made that she would return at a later date for a pap smear. She arrived home just in time to dress up. Then James was there and they were gone. His car again! This time they drove out of the city and took the way to the Coast. Soon Rose could smell the ocean breeze and had the wind whipping at her cheeks. Of course they were travelling in a convertible car. Now Rose understood the need for a convertible.
‘Did you sleep in? ’ James asked her with a smile while keeping his eyes on the road. He was wearing a pair of reflective aviator black blue sunglasses and was driving at the upper limit of the speed allowed in the area. That was 120 K/hour. He looked ultra-cool, Rose thought, and she wandered how much effort and money he put into it. Although for some that look could come naturally.
‘A bit too much, ’ Rose said. ‘How come I did not hear you leaving?
‘You were tired, ’ James replied.
‘I’ve never slept for so long, ’ she said with some annoyance.
‘No need to worry, it’s Saturday, ’ he attempted to reassure her.
‘Are you responsible of my loss of consciousness? ’ Rose said.
‘Of course. Don’t you remember? . . . But not in the way you’re thinking, ’ he replied after searching her face. His explanation was convincing and Rose decided to accept it and move on. The coastal view was spectacular and she was feeling safe in the car. When she turned towards James she noticed that he was smiling.
‘Like it? ’ he asked. Rose nodded in silence. She had no words to describe the delight she was experiencing about the place. She wanted to keep the time still.
‘This is the coast of sunshine’ James explained. ‘From Surfers Paradise to Fraser Island; the best description for the place. A mixture of beauty, wildlife and wilderness’ he continued. ‘We’ll go first for a taste of wine and a dinner show that will introduce you to the Aussie traditions, the Outback spirit, ’ James told Rose.
‘Aussie food? ’ Rose asked.
‘Aussie Barbie, ’ he agreed. ‘Lots of meat, beer and wine, ’ he added. ‘Since Paul Hogan’s ad is considered a national past time, ’ he laughed. ‘But it’s the togetherness, the company that makes a Barbie great, ’ he explained, more seriously now.
‘No roo and emu meat for me please! Tonight I’ll be a vegetarian, if I can have that choice, ’ Rose said.
‘Sure, ’ James replied. An hour later Rose thought that the show delivered the promised electric atmosphere and a real experience of a cattle station in the far outback, with the stockmen and stock horses and jackaroos and grazers, the owners of a cattle station in Australia.
The food was excellent too and the lights, the dust, the noise and the crowd’s excitement were giving Rose an adrenaline buzz. Better than any possible stimulant, Rose thought. She saw James watching her and she leaned to him to make sure he could hear her in the noisy atmosphere.
‘I’m thrilled, ’ Rose openly admitted. He smiled and pulled her into his arms.
‘It’s about to finish in the next 10 minutes, ’ he said with his mouth close to her ear and then he kissed her. At the end of the show the public was allowed to approach the horses and talk to the ringers. Rose was one of those. She did not want to lose the opportunity of a close look at the stock horses.
On approach the horses seemed to have a good temperament and kids were allowed to come and pat them. During the show Rose saw that they were quite agile and the ringers praised the horses for their endurance. She assumed that at least the last two qualities must be present in the ringers and stockmen too as they appeared young, athletic and with weather- beaten like skin with deep lines and dark tan on their faces and body. Definitely no exposure to sugar-coated life for them, she imagined.
The sun was lovely but could take a toll on one’s skin after a prolonged time spent outdoors. Rose made herself a mental note to moisturize more often and wear sunscreen regularly. As she was about to join James, who was waiting for her a few meters further away, a young male (who was not aesthetically challenged), approached her and introduced himself as the owner of a nearby cattle station.
‘I noticed that you were interested in the horses, miss. You can come and visit my station if you want, ’ he said and gave her his card. Rose was surprised by his offer and marveled at the friendliness of these people. Then she realized that some of them might find themselves socially isolated on these stations and probably crave human contact.
The night was closing upon them when they left the show and the sun’s glowing disk was disappearing slowly below the waters of the western horizon.
‘Someone said that both the love and land are timeless, ’ Rose said more to herself reflecting on the unquestionable dedication and love for the land of the outback people that was surfacing from the show.
‘I used to be a ringer but if you say that to anyone I’ll hurt you, ’ James replied. Rose was surprised by the confession but she believed him. She chose to say nothing. Another thing to explore at a better time, she said to herself. So his past was not sugar-coated either, Rose thought. Was that going to change anything between them?
They arrived at the golf club on the coast, the meeting place for the game tonight, at 08:00pm. Heaps of expensive cars were in the parking lot. The lights were on everywhere inside and outside the magnificent building showing a beautifully maintained garden. The sounds of the Pacific Ocean were audible and the air was filled with the aromatic scent of salt, fish, frangipani and ginger. James took her hand and held her close by his side.
As they entered the room Rose was impressed by the spectacular view of the ocean that the room was offering. There were already some people there but she could not recognize anyone. Some of them were already folically and gravitationally challenged. James introduced her to the host and a few others. No one was melanin impoverished, Rose noticed with some relief and then immediately realized that she was faced with her own stigma.
The majority of people were young, in early 30s perhaps and talked about shares and politics. No weather or politically correct talk here, she thought. Rose wondered how many of them were anti-sobriety activists but that probably was not really relevant for tonight’s event as there were only a few drinks served before the game and the event did not include a full meal. Thinking about the meal she had earlier today, food new to her, Rose was hoping that she was not going to be forced to leave the game table in a hurry by an unplanned need for a re-examination of the recent food choices. It had almost never happened to her. Everyone parted around midnight. They didn’t. James informed Rose in the last minute that he managed to reserve a room for them. Rose looked at him with surprise.
‘Last minute decision. I noti
ced that you enjoyed the ocean view, ’ he explained. We don’t need to keep it if you’d rather prefer to go home, ’ he added reassuringly.
‘OK, ’ Rose said. James smiled and raised his eyebrows questioning. ‘We stay, ’ she said.
‘That’s the spirit, ’ he said hugging her.
‘Can we walk on the beach first? ’ Rose asked.
‘First thing in the morning, I promise you, ’ he said. ’No more sleeping in, ’ he added with a big grin on his face. ‘Let’s have a drink and admire the ocean from our room, ’ he urged.
‘Are you suggesting that it is dangerous out there right now? ’ Rose asked suspiciously. She was thinking more in terms of human mischief as during the evening she felt under some scrutiny from a nearby table. She was however unable to find anyone staring out here and eventually dismissed the feeling as perhaps just human curiosity. When James asked her if she knew anyone there she thought for a moment that perhaps he also noticed the person staring at her. She decided not to mention that to James. She did not want to worry him in vain.
‘You never use the word dangerous in front of men as they take that as a challenge, ’ James informed her with a wink. ‘Unless you intend to hurt them, ’ he added more seriously. ‘As I said , earlier I have years of experience living on this