Free Drowning in Her Eyes by Patrick Ford Page A

sporting fields, beside the tennis courts, was a small building with a flagpole in front of it. Jack asked them to drive him there, ostensibly to look at the tennis courts. He noticed a sign in front of the small building. It said : Sydney University Regiment (New England Company) .
    He said nothing, but the germ of an idea began to stir in his brain. In the morning, they bade farewell to the cousins, and headed for home. It all convinced Jack. He would b e come a student of agriculture at the University of New En g land.

    Meanwhile, not far to the north in a small country in Indochina, small men and women, dressed in black and carrying AK47 assault rifles, began to enlist supporters. They had a sure fire method. Enter a village, shoot the headman, and impose a rice levy. They d ig tunnels to cach e further weapons and supplies, and r ecruit young men and women. Their met h od was convincing. Join us or we will shoot you too.

    Armidale, New South Wales, Australi a — 1964

    Marci looked around the kitchen of the house they had leased in this small university city . It was no mansion, but it was roomy, well positioned, and comfortable. James Junior was ecstatic — he had a room to himself at last! His sisters , now deemed young women, needed privacy from male co m pany in the intimate confines of a bedroom. It is funny how fate intervenes, she mused. The bus had climbed the Great Dividing Range to the city of Warwick. Then it had travelled south over the border to the State of New South Wales.
    Sixty miles short of the scheduled overnight stop at Tamworth, the bus shuddered, belched a cloud of blue smoke, and ground to a stop. Its condition was terminal, and the passengers were ferried to Armidale for the night. Wa k ing in the early January morning, Jimmy and Marci decided to go for a walk. Here, in the New England Ranges, the cool summer day, the songs of the birds in the early morning ch o rus, and the friendly smiles and greetings of other walkers had captivated them. “Darling, ” said Marci, “I think I could like it here. ” Jimmy, whose thoughts were evermore turning to the concept of Divine intervention, was convinced she was right.
    As they walked, they passed the large Catholic Cath e dral. Organ music and the sounds of singing wafted toward them from the open door. On impulse, Jimmy took Marci by the hand and took her into the building. An early mass was in progress. “What are you doing? ” she said. “ You know I ’m not Catholic. ”
    â€œI want to give thanks to God for bringing us to this beautiful place, ” said Jimmy. “This is as good as any other of His houses. ”
    They knelt in the back row and said some silent prayers. After wards , they crossed the street to the town ’s central park. Here they observed many familiar trees — elms, oaks, and birch abounded. It was quiet, in the lull before the wor k ing traffic began, and both felt an extraordinary sense of peace. Presently, Jimmy rose from his seat. “Come on. I ’m hung ry and there are three children to convince . ”
    * * * *
    They took no convincing .
    The girls had been out, also. In a small milk bar, they had met a young couple attracted by their accents. The youngsters told them there were several American families in the city — staff at the university — and urged the girls to contact them. They gave them the name of Cyrus McKenzie, a Professor of z oology.
    T he family met for breakfast at the h otel. Be fore either parent could speak, James Junior excitedly told them he had seen a baseball diamond . Sarah reported the presence of fe l low Americans, and Susan bubbled over about the beautiful trees and lawns. Marci thought of once more cooking and caring for her family , and the thought felt good. To do it in a nice place felt even better. Once again, Jimmy looked to the heavens. It was all falling into place.
    There was excited conversation for a while when