The Betrayal of Bindy Mackenzie (24 page)

So, you see, ‘it is all happening', as people say.

DIARY ENTRY
Monday, 1 March

Well, Diary,
I feel like a fool.

The lesson is this: when you think things are exciting they probably are not.

Nobody signed up for Ernst's online study group, except me.

Sergio, the boy with the burn scar, has not spoken a word to me again. He's already got a new girlfriend. I still don't know what was ‘heaps good'.

Also, Kelly Simonds says she's applying to be an exchange student next year. She wants to go to Germany or Switzerland.

I urged her not to be foolish.

‘Don't squander an important year of your education!' I said.

But she snorted. She says I'm just worried that she'll come back speaking better German than I do.

And, finally, I went to see Mrs Lilydale today. She now greets me with two hats on—her ‘debating coach' hat, and her ‘Year Co-ordinator' hat—she is our Year 10 Co-ordinator, you see. (She likes to use the old-fashioned term ‘form mistress'. I admire her fondness for the past.)

But I was there about the Spring Concert.

‘I'd like to sign up for the concert,' I said. ‘I'd like to sing a solo.'

Well!

The wave of doubt that crossed Mrs Lilydale's face!

Immediately, I withdrew: ‘Or not,' I said. ‘Or maybe not, after all.'

‘Oh,' she said, quickly realising her error. ‘No, no! Bindy! If that's what you want to do, you must do it! Here, see, I'll put your name down now. Sing a dozen solos if you like!'

‘No, that's okay,' I said, proudly. ‘Please cross off my name.'

DIARY ENTRY
Friday, 19 March

Cassie Aganovic spoke to me today. She is one of Emily Thompson's triangle of friends. I know it is wrong to be enthused by contact from the ‘upper class', but she spoke to me so casually, as if I were a regular acquaintance! She was asking if I knew a boy named Matthew Dunlop, who apparently goes to Brookfield High. I wonder why she thought I knew him? Anyway, I told her that I do actually have a friend at Brookfield, a girl named Leesa, and I said I'd ask Leesa for her.

Well!

That was strange.

It was as if I had completely forgotten that I do
not
have a friend named Leesa! I haven't spoken to her since last year when she phoned about the Powderfinger concert. Then she left Kmart and that was it. I don't even know her full name. . .

Of course, I then worried that Cassie might be patiently waiting for me to ask Leesa, on her behalf, and I knew I couldn't do that. I began to wish that I knew who this Matthew Dunlop was. If only I happened to know him all on my own, the problem would be solved.

Suddenly, an amazing thing happened. I realised I
did
know him!

I ran and found Cassie—I tried to slow down as I approached—and I told her that I had met someone of that very name at the Schools Spectacular last year! Well, I had not exactly met him. But I had distinctly heard the announcement: ‘Matthew Dunlop of Brookfield High on the trumpet!'

Cassie seemed very pleased.

DIARY ENTRY
Friday, 2 April

You know, I hope I had the right person. ‘Matthew Dunlop' I mean. When I told Cassie last month that I knew him.

To be honest, there were
hundreds
of people playing or performing at the Schools Spectacular. And hundreds of announcements through muffled microphones. I suppose I might have heard
Michael
Dunlop, rather than Matthew. Or possibly Marcus Dunhill.

I wonder if I should say something to Cassie?

No, I must learn to be ‘cool'.

Thursday, 3 June

The Principal
Ashbury High

Dear Sir,

I am writing to you about a matter of some concern.

My friend, Ernst von Schmerz, has mentioned to me that certain Ashbury students have installed file-sharing software on the school intranet, and are using it to ‘share' and ‘exchange' music files. (Ernst, I should point out, is highly computer literate.)

I wanted to draw your attention to this fact, as I would be distressed if our school were vicariously liable for copyright infringement.

Kindest regards,
Bindy Mackenzie

PS Also, do you realise that the reserve behind our school is positively
teeming
with students who are engaged in underage drinking/drug-taking and should actually be in class? Why on earth are supervisors not stationed at key points throughout the reserve?

DIARY ENTRY
Thursday, 17 June

Reflections on Romance
There is much fanfare at school at the moment about the Formal Dance to take place at the end of this year.

Not until the end of the year—but already the fanfare!

People are crying and fretting about theme, decorations, location, and, most of all, about the state of their ‘romantic relationships'.

As I said to Mrs Lilydale today (she and I have made up and I often drop by for a chat)—I believe romance has no place in the school system.

I myself have always planned to avoid romance until the summer between Years 11 and 12. During that summer, I plan to meet and fall in love with a handsome young man, and we will spend our days sitting side by the side on the sand at the beach, reading prescribed texts for the following year, and testing one another on their content. We will fall asleep over the texts as the sun sets. The young man and I will then
separate
for the course of Year 12, so as to concentrate on school work, reuniting
only
at the end of the year, for the graduation dance.

I had forgotten the Year 10 Formal, of course.

DIARY ENTRY
Saturday, 19 June

Reflections on History
I hear there will be dancing at the Formal Dance at the end of this year. I wonder what to do about that.

I believe life was perfect in Victorian England.

In those days, young ladies had maids who fixed their hair, their petticoats, their jewels, and their swirling gowns. They rode in silken carriages through lush, green fields, along cobbled laneways, towards elegant balls. They did not feel afraid as they emerged from their carriage because they knew
exactly
how to dance – they had taken lessons from a very young age.

Handsome, well-dressed gentlemen converged upon the ballroom, hoping to find ladies with intelligent eyes, who could sing, play the piano and recite poems. They looked for young ladies who cross-stitched and reflected on life. They asked these young ladies to dance.

BUSINESSPROPOSAL

Mr Mackenzie,
Please find attached my latest, exciting ‘Business Proposal'.