Title: Brave Face
Author: CGB (luberluber@yahoo.com.au)
Rating: G
Summary: "There's a story in all this, Max. It starts around about the time I hitched my first ride out of Melbourne, and it finishes now that I'm on my way back." Carmen leaves the Bay.
*
With her short shorts and multiple piercings, she's just another hippie chick looking for a free ride and, if you're lucky, a little free love on the road.
It's a simple assessment, and she knows she's a lot more complicated than most people give her credit for, but it's not an image she's inclined to discourage. After all, she flags down her first lift in less than ten minutes. Max would tell her she's crazy but she's never had a bad ride.
There's a story in all this, Max. It starts around about the time I hitched my first ride out of Melbourne, and it finishes now that I'm on my way back. You're in the middle somewhere, which is why I'm telling it to you. I think, perhaps, you need it. You don't have a lot of faith in people, Max. You project negative energy on to everyone you meet and then they live up to your expectations. There are always people like you on the road but they walk miles before getting a ride.
"Where you going, love?"
Nice old man who just wants to talk. A little company on a long drive. He offers to take her all the way to Geelong even if it's a bit further than where he's headed.
The car's older than she is and the vinyl sticks to the back of her legs. It's early in the morning and she's thinking that Max would be swimming about now. Or he'd be heading back to the shack, stopping to watch Laura wave goodbye to Miranda and Rupert.
"What's in the city for you love?"
"I'm going to see my father."
"Well aren't you a good girl. I got a daughter a bit older than you. Too busy to come and see her old dad. It's either the kids or the husband or the house. Bet your dad will be pleased to see you."
She is a good girl. Always has been. Even when she called him to tell him he was going to be a grand dad she was just a loving daughter hoping he'd be proud.
She'd be surprised if he was pleased to see her. Really surprised. But she's always hopeful.
And the people you meet along the way are just new chapters waiting to be written. It could be a mystery. It could be a romance. You never know when a new acquaintance is a new opportunity.
He lets her out just on the other side of the Westgate Bridge. She could get a train from here but hitching across the bridge is easy and it's a beautiful day to make a new friend.
A young woman this time. Driving a purple Gemini and smoking hand rolled cigarettes.
"Going into town?"
She throws her backpack onto the backseat.
"Nice car."
"Thanks. You live in Geelong?"
"No. I've just come from Pearl Bay."
"Oh. Nice."
Her name is Melanie. She is in a band called Blue Murder and she is writing a thesis on pornography. Her boyfriend dumped her last week but now he wants her back. They're about the same age.
And then there are stories within the story, Max, and it's not just about heroes and victims. It's ordinary people living extraordinary lives. There are no banner headlines and no exclusives, but there's always news.
Before they part, Melanie hands her a flier for a Blue Murder gig. Carmen watches her purple car weaving it's way into the traffic of downtown Melbourne, and disappearing in front of a tram.
Making friends is easy. She's always said so.
She stands in front of an office block on Flinders Street, not unlike any other office block on Flinders Street. New, not old like the building next door. There are beautiful old buildings in Melbourne but her father would never work in one.
People stare at her as she walks through the lobby but she heads straight for the lift and presses the button for the tenth floor.
"Carmen. This is a surprise..."
He tries to smile but he can't hide the irritation in his voice. In her head she hears him - "What do you want now?"
"I've got a job interview with the Herald Star."
"In Sydney?"
"Yeah. Thought I'd come here first. I thought..." She looks at the floor. It's never easy, but there are harder things. "I thought you could put in a good word for me."
He shifts his position behind his desk and looks away.
She follows his gaze out the window. She thinks; just once, spare me the 'no one gets a free ride' story dad, because I haven't had a free ride. None of this is easy.
"I'll see what I can do."
She whispers, "you will?"
"I won't make any promises. And you will need to..." he waves a hand at her attire, "present yourself appropriately."
She nods. "Of course."
"Don't make a habit of this, Carmen. I can't help you out of every situation you get into."
His secretary books a seat for her on the next flight to Sydney. She says, "I'll call you when I hear," but his attention is already focused elsewhere. She tells his secretary to pass on the message and the secretary smiles and wishes Carmen all the best.
You'll laugh at me when I tell you that people are good, Max, but I know that if you just give them a chance, they'll surprise you.
There's a story in all this, but I'm not sure you'd want to read it. Which is perhaps why I'm in Sydney and you're still in Pearl Bay trying to work out what exactly it is that keeps you there.
See I can't live everyday thinking that the world is against me. Otherwise you may as well just lie down under the next truck that comes along or keep swimming out to sea until you can't swim anymore.
I'm not like you, Max.
The End.
*
Title from "Angel Full of Grace" by Goanna featuring Marcia Howard off the Seachange Soundtrack.