Sunburnt Speculations

Written as an exercise from Josip Novakovich’s Fiction Writer’s Workshop (2nd ed., 2008), Chapter 1, Exercise 1

Suburban Brisbane, in the lead up to Christmas, surrenders to expectation. The air grows heavy ahead of the late afternoon storms that sweep in from the West as shoppers hurry to finalise their purchases before they hit. There are other expectations, too – of family gifts and gatherings; of Christmas parties, Secret Santas, work bonuses, holiday expense, and layoffs. And for kids leaving school, there’s the added expectation of receiving final exam results and tertiary offers that determine the course of their lives – or so they are told.

It was on just such an afternoon, that Adam stopped by his local fruit store to buy ingredients for the fruit salad he would take to the faculty gathering that evening. It was one of those older stores, located in a small off-street shopping complex – the type of store without air conditioning, where the fruit is on display on sloping shelves inside and in boxes and crates that spill onto the public footpath. Where locals gather sometimes to exchange small news and the heat that rises from the car park stews everything, giving a cloying sweetness to the air like strong punch.

Pausing by the mangoes, Adam chanced to overhear two mums talking together – Geraldine and Jane, whom he knew by sight. Both had kids who, weeks earlier, had completed their senior school year and who were waiting for QPAC offers of university places.

Geraldine, the older of the two spoke first.

“We’re so thrilled our Cameron’s offer for Med came through. He’s hoping to be a surgeon, of course — just like his father. And what about your Sam? Any news there yet?”

Jane took a breath. This would not be easy for her.

“Sam’s been offered Arts,” she said, the words tight in her throat.

Geraldine sniffed.

“Oh dear! You must be so disappointed.” It came as a rebuke.

“Yes,” replied Jane before turning away to select some grapes.

“Com-parents!” Adam declared to himself. It was a term he used to describe parents whose status depended on comparisons they made about the achievements of their children. He’d even published an article about them. Disgusted at Jane’s easy surrender, Adam paid for his mangoes and left, looking forward to relating the story to his faculty colleagues later.

He didn’t see Jane quickly leave her grapes on the counter and hurry away in tears.