The third notice had an artist’s impression of a typical Queenslander-style house at the top of the page, with the details neatly typed below. Attached to the bottom, an envelope contained plain white business cards with a name and number. It was a room for rent, and it was affordable. A little further out from the city than I had anticipated, but close to the train line and the river. I grabbed one of the cards, and made my way to the library where I worked as a cataloguer.
Joseph, one of the library’s Peer Advisers, leaned against the Help Desk chatting up a girl who looked like she should still be in high school. He was tall, dark, and gangly, with that cute-nerd thing going on. Glancing over her head, he glued his stare to my legs. I nodded my head at him—a complete waste of my time, as his attention wasn’t on my face. He’d already forgotten the girl as he hustled over to follow me up to the staff offices.
“Ronnie. Looking fine, as always,” he directed the greeting to my backside.
“Watch it, Jo. I’ll report you to HR so fast your head will spin.”
“I am,” I barely heard him mumble. Ignoring him, I continued over to my desk to put away my things.
“Whatcha doing after work?”
Aw, he looked hopeful. “Not gonna happen.” Jesus. Hadn’t he ever heard of sexual harassment laws?
His smile dropped. “Beverly wants to see you before you start.” His voice turned sullen and quiet before he walked back to where he came from.
I chewed on my cheek as I watched his retreating, deflated form, feeling bad for being a bitch again. “Thanks, Jo.”
He spun back with a huge grin on his face. “You’re welcome,” he chirped with a wink.
Ugh! Why me?
I wiped my sweaty palms on my dress and headed towards the Campus Librarian’s office, knocking on my boss’s open door. Beverly’s blonde head popped up above her screen, sending me a smile. “You wanted to see me?”
She removed her glasses, and left them hanging by a chain around her neck. “Yes. Good morning, Ronnie. I wondered if you wouldn’t mind helping the acquisitions team for the next week or so. We’re two down for the next week, at least, and we have to chase some requests from the academics. I know there was a problem with a supplier for a few of the requested texts.”
“Okay.” I started to turn away.
“Ronnie?”
Pausing, I tilted my head in question. Her brightly coloured Missoni dress added a burst of colour to an otherwise drab room. As did the fire engine red manicure, done to perfection, just like her French roll. Her style suited her personality. Bright, vibrant, confident, and classy. She reminded me of Granny. Holding her glasses in her hand, with a welcoming smile on her face, my nerves started to ramp up at the expectation written in her gaze.
“How was your weekend? Did you do anything exciting?”
“It was fine, thanks.” I kept a polite, but detached mask on my face. Her smile faded a little, and she nodded her head before resuming her work.
My heart sank as I wiped my palms again, my eyes darting to the space behind her. Beverly was like everybody’s mother, and I couldn’t bring myself to accept her attempts at befriending me. I felt like shit when I shut her down. It wasn’t that I didn’t like her; I actually want to be her, sort of. I just couldn’t strike up a conversation. What would I say? I couldn’t share that her mother was standing over her shoulder, begging me to tell her to get a mammogram before it was too late. How the hell would I even approach something like that?
Sighing, I headed back to find Kylie in acquisitions. She thinks I’m a bitch anyway, so it should be easy to maintain a safe little bubble of indifference and reticence. My two favourite words.
Brad
“Straight arms! You’re gonna wear yourself out, dude.”
Mikey, my belayer, yelled from the base of the cliff. My breaths were coming out thick through gritted teeth. I was only halfway up this bastard and I was buggered already. I should’ve tried the nursery cliffs, but I got cocky, thinking that after climbing the indoor equivalent for the last two months, I was ready to attack the crag at Kangaroo Point. What man wants to be seen attacking any challenge with the word ‘nursery’ attached to it?
“Dude, turn your hip into the wall. You’re gonna fall right off if you don’t shift your centre of gravity closer to the wall.”
Dude, stop calling me dude.
The spotlights illuminated every crack and crevice, and the veins of colour that ran through the volcanic tuff. A light breeze off the river cooled my sweaty back, as I scanned the rock to find the next hold. Four other climbing pairs were on the cliffs tonight, attempting to conquer routes with obscure names like, ‘Blue Veined Custard Shooter’, ‘Brickie’s Butt Crack’, and my personal favourite, ‘Slippery When Wet’. The smell of the barbecues wafted up from the picnic area below, where climbers were celebrating their afternoon triumphs.
I stretched my left arm up towards a large crack halfway up the ‘Surrender’ route at KP. The name drew me like a magnet. It felt important to attempt this climb. Don’t ask me why. Adrenaline pumped through my body, feeding my addiction. I needed it as much as I needed air. It was becoming a beast whose hunger I couldn’t satiate. I’d have flashed this climb if Mikey would’ve let me, but I hung from a top rope, all safe and sound in my harness. With a helmet on. It was still
