Chapter 15

I took the paper schedule to the office with me Monday morning. Shirl needed at least some of the information. Weena had left quite early; she wanted to catch the night sister before she went off duty. So it was well before nine when I got to the office. I opened a calendar and started entering stuff: the wedding, my talk to the vintners, etc. I hoped it would make sense. I called Maggie's office in the Alice. She answered.

"Friedel."

"Gordy Hollister."

"Hi. What can I do for you?"

"You've caused enough trouble, thank you." She laughed. "I was wondering whether you'd be around the week before Easter."

"Wait. That's end of March this year."

"Right. The 27^th."

"Any you're asking about?"

"The 18^th. It's a Friday."

"Yes, I should be here. Why?"

"I'd like to visit in the early afternoon."

"Because... ?"

"Charlie and Maddy are getting married on the 19^th. He's asked me to be best man. This way, I can get our bosses to foot the bill for the airfare."

"Ah! You will be a fine bureaucrat!" She laughed again. "I'll put you down for 2 till 4 for a conference about the experimental stations in the Petermann."

"Great! How did your talk go?"

"Fine. The Ministry didn't really know why they were inviting me, except they were getting free lunch."

"I hope it was OK."

"Rubber chicken and peas."

"We should have had you over for dinner."

"Dinner was fine; I was with friends."

"Well, at some point I hope to introduce you to my wife. She's a sister at Royal Perth."

"Yes, that would be nice. I've got to go, my 9:30 just walked in."

I'd forgotten the half-hour time difference. "Right. See you in March."

Well, that had been easy.

The week went by fast. Weena was on shift till six, so I'd stop at the shops or the supermarket on my drive home. The mounted maps had come and Des had gotten the maintenance crew to fasten them on the walls. I had lunch twice with Chaz, on the Thursday he told me that his appointment had come through already — rushed because there was no one else — and that his new payscale would take effect in mid-month. When the announcement came from Canberra, our chum Watkins had complained and (apparently) had been told that he just wasn't qualified. We'd laughed about that.

Weena'd been on her feet a lot, so I'd massage them nightly. She wasn't accustomed to the full shifts on duty any more. On the weekend we spent Saturday cleaning and shopping and Sunday we drove north to the beach in Padbury. She looked great in her suit. I told her so, though we both knew that she'd be totally wasted by Friday, again.

Monday morning I realized that I'd have to talk to the department head and find out about teaching. I asked Shirl to get me an appointment, it was for the next day. We spent lunchtime at the burger joint trying to compose responses to "Do you know when Jurgen will return from Switzerland?" Des won with: "Are the Olympics over already?" Though Shirl added: "Did Australia win?" Obviously, the students didn't have a high opinion of their nominal superior.

Tuesday I was in the office at a few minutes before 10, but the receptionist told me that the head hadn't arrived yet. I looked at my watch (ostentatiously) and noted that it wasn't quite ten, yet. At about five past I asked her to phone Shirl "in the event he turns up." She didn't laugh, but did look amused.

What an idiot! If he wants to play power games, I'll let him. In fact, I'll let him come upstairs to me. I liked that.

"Shirl."

"Mmm?"

"If they call from downstairs that the head has arrived, say that I'm waiting for him in my office."

"Really?"

"Really. If he wants to play games, so can I. In the meantime, could you find out when and where Jurgen's introductory class is supposed to meet? Oh, and when he's expected back."

"Right away?"

"No. But by the end of the week. I know you've got sources." She laughed.

I called Chaz. "Busy?"

"I've got a report to do on Geraldton, but it's not quite urgent today."

"You'll have to tell me about it. But first, I've got a problem here."

"I'll send you Watkins. He'll make your problem disappear."

"By supplanting it?" We both laughed. "More seriously, the department head seems to resent that I'm not under his thumb. The result is that the last time I had an appointment, he kept me stewing for at least 15 minutes. Today, he hasn't shown up at all."

"Leave."

"What?"