Chapter 6

The afternoon was different. As soon as Rachel and her family arrived, Sarah dragged Al to her room to play and the five adults sat in the kitchen. Rachel and I stayed in the garden, where we could eavesdrop – like Kim overhearing the news at Creighton's.

Mum was broaching the question of Rachel's schooling.

"They'll have to take her back!" exclaimed Michiko.

"I'm not sure, it's not a state school," said dad.

Chaz wasn't certain, either. Mum and Michiko had a lot of "ought" and "should," but not a lot of information. Rob just listened. I couldn't see his face. After about half an hour, Rachel interrupted.

"Mum! What about the presents?"

"Rachel!"

"No, she's right," said my Dad. "And I need to get the coals going." He got up and went outside with Chaz. Rachel and Michiko went to their car.

"Dad, can you give me a hand?" Mum asked Rob. Then she turned to me: "You get Sarah and Al down here. I'm sure there's a gift for Sarah.

There was. Rachel gave her a beautiful kabuki doll. Mum got a book on Japanese gardens. Dad got a (dead) rhinoceros beetle in a lucite box. And I got a copy of Yasuda's Treasury Of Japanese Folk Tales, in an edition with both Japanese and English.

"Wow!" I said.

"Will you learn some Japanese?" Chaz asked.

"I'll try. I'll have to get a beginner's textbook, though."

"I've got one!" Rachel said. "We'll work together."

"Do you think you can do that?" asked Mum.

"Why not?"

"Japanese is harder than English."

"That's silly, Mum. Are Japanese kids smarter than Aussie kids? Than Brit kids? Kids are kids, they learn their culture. The stuff around them. Is Martha smarter than her mother? Martha reads and her mother barely can."

"He's right, you know, Weena," Dad said. "Every child learns her or his ambient language. And writing systems are just ways of representing languages." He went back to the food. "Tucker in under five minutes."

"What do you do with the old Australians?" Rob asked.

"What?"

"The copies of Friday's and yesterday's Australian."

"Oh. They should be at the top of the stack near the washing machine."

"I'll show you, Rob," I said.

I found them. He looked at Friday's and said: "There! Problem solved." I had no idea what he meant, but we went back into the garden.

"Here, Chaz. This should answer the school question." He pointed to an article on page three or page five – not the front, anyway.

Chaz took the paper and read a bit. "You may be right, Rob, but I don't really get it. I rather think you've got a notion, but it's not clear to me."

"What's going on?"

"Just tend the food, Gordy. We'll discuss this in a bit."

"Okay."

I was curious, too; but there was nothing Rachel and I could do except wait. Rob would tell us. It was really interesting. I gave him a problem to solve the other day, and he was all ready to talk about mining in Africa and in Australia. Now there was the problem of Rachel's school, and he was busy trying to solve that problem.

After we had eaten, Chaz said: "Okay, Rob. Tell us your solution."

"Well, that bit in The Australian says that Ms Gillard has called upon 'all Australians to aid the Japanese in these difficult times'. And I think that Michiko and Weena can use this on Rachel's behalf. Weena should make an appointment for tomorrow or Tuesday with Ms Ethell and she and Michiko can go. Rachel's been admitted, right? Can you write a cheque, Chaz? Ms Ethell can either put her into Grade 6 or 7. I'd suggest six, as she needs to adjust to the 'disruptions.' Weena, if she even hesitates, mention your friend Sue at Seven. Anglican charity. Good deeds for the displaced. And, most important, great PR."

"You're brilliant!" said Gordy.

"No, just experienced. And I can still remember what I read. What do you think, Michiko?"

"I could not speak to the school Principal like that."

"You won't have to. Weena will. Weena's the old girl. And you are Japanese..."

"No! I'm Australian!"

"Sorry. And you look Japanese. Just have your chequebook with you. My guess is that she will take a cheque and ask you to return with Rachel on – oh – Thursday. That gives time for the cheque to clear and for her to talk with the teachers involved."

"Now I know where Weena gets her smarts!" put in Chaz.

"Did you kids get that?" dad asked me.

Rachel nodded. "Sure. Mum and Michiko will go to Perth College and Rachel will go there after next week. Rob just worked out the method. C'mon Rachel, I want to look at the book you brought me."