Free Riggs Crossing by Michelle Heeter Page A

that Scott had complained of her being rude, and emphasised that such behaviour jeopardises the arrangement in which IWYR residents get priority, high–level medical care from St Stephen’s. Len seemed surprised at Scott’s complaint and became indignant. Len produced the list of instructions that Scott had given her, and showed me that she had copied the instructions into her spiral notebook on the bus. I accepted this as an indicator that Len values Scott’s professional judgment and plans to follow his instructions.
    Len was considerably less cooperative in acknowledging that she had made unacceptable comments that caused offence to Scott. Len refused to address the issue of her own behaviour, and repeatedly tried to change the subject to times when she had felt offended by others. Len claimed to have been offended by the conduct of young Lebanese men, and said she had nightmares about them. Len’s explanation was fractured and emotional, but she seemed to be referring to a well–publicised pack rape in which the alleged perpetrators were of Lebanese origin.
    Len agreed to write a short note of apology to Scott, but flatly refused to participate in an exercise examining her negative stereotypes about ethnic people.
    It is likely that Len is suffering confusion about her own sexual orientation. Len prefers unisex clothing and disdains cosmetics. Perhaps labelling Scott as ‘gay’ and lashing out at ethnic men for alleged sexual misconduct is Len’s way of masking confusion about her own sexuality.
    To prevent Len’s prejudices toward people of ethnic background from becoming entrenched, I have arranged for next month’s IWYR outing to be a dinner at a Lebanese restaurant in the suburb where the pack-rape occurred.

Chapter 18

    A fortnight after I write an apology to Scott, I get a reply.

    Dear Len,
    I was very pleased to get your letter. I do accept your apology, and it means a lot to me that you offered it. As a result of personal stress, I was impatient with you during our consultation. I apologise for this.
    My new partner and I have decided to relocate to Melbourne, where I have accepted a new job. I hope you will continue practising your swimming and tennis, but at a reasonable pace, please! Enclosed are some diagrams of exercises to improve the range of movement in your shoulders.
    With best wishes,
    Scott

    After I’ve finished putting the diagrams up on my wall, I get a blue icepack for my shoulder from the freezer, then head into the lounge room. I’m in a good mood tonight. My homework is finished, so I can watch TV. And it’s a Mrs Rowles weekend.
    Twice a month, Lyyssa goes away for the weekend and a part-time social worker, Mrs Rowles, looks after us. She’s not like Sky Morningstar or Jo. Mrs Rowles is about fifty-five, short and wiry. Mrs Rowles runs a newsagency with her husband, and just does the two weekends a month with us for the extra income. Mrs Rowles views herself as our custodian, not as our psychologist/parent/saviour. She pretty much leaves us alone, knitting and drinking tea in front of the small television set in the guest room, keeping her door open in case we need anything.
    Tonight, the house is quiet, almost peaceful. Karen and Shane are asleep. Cinnamon and Bindi are upstairs trying on clothes and doing stuff with their hair. I’ve got the lounge room to myself.
    I switch on the TV. On the 8:30 news bulletin, there’s more about Lucy Grubb. They show a picture of her at a Hollywood party looking sexy and wild, then a snap of her walking down the street in New York City in a black jumper and trousers, her blonde hair blowing in the wind. I’m torn between feeling admiration for her glamorous lifestyle, and hatred that she can squash you like a bug if you piss her off.
    Then they show a snippet from a press conference. Lucy is standing between two serious-looking men wearing dark suits. Lucy looks pale and upset, and cries as she says she wants the people who were hurt to