One Part in Four

by Christina Brooks

The Pick Up

Last Sunday I found myself in the middle of Sydney with a little time on my hands and nothing pressing to do. Most of the shops were shut. I spent a little time in Woolies ending up with 5 small notebooks - apparently no one wants just one, and a fruit juice. Then I thought I'd pop upstairs and use the Ladies room. It was shut. Apparently vandals only attack the loos after 6pm. It was already 6.10PM and I was out of luck. Woolies had a sign up that directed me to the Town Hall station toilets. They were shut too. There was a problem with a sewer main a couple of blocks away. I ended up back in the Coopers Lybrand building where my friend was waiting. The toilets that serve the food court patrons were open. A relief.


I still had some time on my hands. I had a few things I needed to remember. Writing them down properly would take me me about 15 minutes and I had my notebooks and pen so I thought I'd make use of a couple. I chose the purple and the green. I decided to set myself up near the steps leading down into the arcade below. There is a sandstone fence that is used mainly for sitting that fronts the Town Hall. It is very popular as a meeting place. Behind this fence is a garden. The garden sits atop the main retaining wall that helps hold the pavement in place, above the arcade and station below. The garden is only about 6o cm wide. It has several small green shrubs planted along its length. None of the plants can be seen from the street unless you look over the fence or perhaps catch a glimpse through the uprights while you are sitting in car waiting at the lights. It was a pleasant enough spot and I started to wax lyrical about the plants. They looked a little forlorn even if they were healthy and well tended. It isn’t a good place for plants, that part of George street is an exhaust collection point.


Shortly after I started writing in my little book a couple of girls decided to sit on the fence. They were well dressed and looked like they had arranged to meet someone there. They had no shopping bags and looked fresh.

The elder of the two was mostly wearing white. She was about 5'6" and slim. She wore a long, loose fitting skirt that came to just below her knees. Her t-shirt was long enough to cover the waistband and she topped off her ensemble with a pale blue 'track' jacket. Her hair was dark and long. She had it up in a ponytail and was wearing a scarf with stripes in shades of blue around her head in 60’s style.

Her companion was slightly shorter, maybe 5'4". She was wearing 90% black. Her black jeans were tight and unbelted. When she sat on the fence, I could see a lot of cleavage. I was very glad she wasn’t a builder. Her black top was cut to the waist. It had a white band at the waist and matching cuffs. The shirt beneath it was also black. Her hair was black and shiny. It was cut in one of those long, bias-cut, 'peakaboo' bobs that stop just at the shoulder.

Both women were attractive. Their makeup was dramatic but not gothic. They were just sitting and having a quiet conversation. I was only about 6 feet away and couldn’t hear their discussion.

I go back to my contemplation of the plants. About a minute or so later... a voice

"Hello, where you girls from?"
The girls say something, but I can't make it out.

"I just asked where you girls from, cause youse look familiar"
The girls reply. I can't make it out.
"Me? I'm from here, you know. Sydney. I live out near Ashfield"
Girl mumble.
"Oh you're from there. I thought maybe you went to the same school I went to"
Girls mumble some more.
"Are you sure, cause you sure look like someone I might know"
Mumbling is a bit louder now. I'm sure I heard the word yes.
"Ok if you’re sure I don't know you."
"Yes." I definitely heard them that time.
"Ok... you'se don’t know what you're missing"

He leaves, walking around me and heading down the stairs.

I see his receding back - white tracksuit with Everlast written across the butt. Matching white baseball cap and white shoes.

The girls go back to their discussion.

I think the girls knew what they were missing. I did.