Chapter 13

Tuesday morning I went into the office and wrote a brief report on my trip — though I had no idea who might ever read it. I took some coffee and went into my office and read (and answered) e-mail till a bit past 11. I went through the wad of messages and threw them all away. Then I phoned Chaz and set up lunch at the wool shop.

Mona asked how it had gone and I told her it had seemed easy and that Maggie had complimented me. I was about to leave to meet Chaz when the phone rang. "CSIRO, good morning ... Yes, ma'am, he's here. Just a moment." She pressed 'Hold' and said: "Sue."

"Can I just take it?" She nodded.

"Good morning, Sue. What did I do now?"

"Morning, Gordy. A little bird phoned me over the weekend and told me I'd been complimented in Darwin. I have my spies everywhere."

I laughed. "Even outside Western Australia."

"Yes. Even in the Territory. Cutting to the chase, I heard that you delivered an impromptu lecture on the effects of climate change and their effect on our country."

"I guess so. It seemed to be well-received."

"I was told you were quite impassioned."

"Let me remain a bit modest."

"Okay. But would you be willing to be a propagandist for us?"

"You mean on camera?"

"Yes. In fact, the ideal thing would be for you to be our 'environmental resource.' You might appear for two to five minutes every week or two. We'd offer the clips to stations in other parts of Australia. Perhaps elsewhere. We'd pay you a fee, of course."

"Wow! Well, my first reaction is 'yes, but no.' Do you really think I could do it?"

"Yes. You've a terrific on-camera presence. Really."

"Well, I'd be glad to appear, but I think it should be a public service of the CSIRO. Or ... perhaps the station could make a donation to a good cause. That way you'd get good PR, too."

"What do you have in mind?"

"2009 is the big Darwin year. The Centre wants to hold an 'event.' The Dean has said we can try to raise donations. This could be the seed money."

"Sounds great! Could you come here to talk to my producer and the big-wigs?"

"Next week, please? I'm just back ... I've hardly looked at my e-mail."

"I'll try for Monday or Wednesday, okay?"

"Yes. Just call and arrange it with Mona."

"Will do. And my best to Weena and Patrick."

"Thanks. See you next week." I put down the phone and looked at Mona.

"What was that about?" I told her.

"You're going to be a star!"

"Don't go overboard. It'll be a few minutes a month. But, if I can do it, it'll be good for the uni and the CSIRO."

Then I went to meet Chaz for lunch.

I told him about my trip to Darwin and then about Sue's call. His reaction was similar to Mona's — I would become the Attenborough of the Australian tube. I demurred. But I wanted some advice from him.

"What?"

"I can talk in generalities a time or two, but I want something specific, something with impact."