the couch in Eleanor’s living room Eliot could look out over the lawn and the apartment’s communal garden. The man from apartment four, whatever his name, was doing something on his knees in his plot. Eleanor was preparing them dinner. He was in the next room, but because of the open plan he could see her most of the time. And hear her all of the time. Her apron was as colourful as her dress which always clashed with her auburn curls. Elvie sat in front of the refrigerater with her tail curled around her front legs probably expecting some food. She didn’t know it yet but she wasn’t going home. This was a farewell.
Eleanor was talking away but because she had her back to Eliot most of the time he could choose what he listened to, inserting a single word or two into the monologue when her inflection suggested that it was appropriate. She talked non- stop and every now and then he felt that he should say something so it looked like he was showing some interest in her. Where do you come from Eleanor?
Both sides of my family were originally from London.
It seemed to Eliot that he might need to ask another question just to be polite but Eleanor continued.
When I was a child, I remember my Great Uncle Bert who lived in a worker’s cottage in Old Kent Rd. He was a cripple, if that’s the right word because he had gone to work for a logging company somewhere in India. Something to do with an elephant if I remember correctly. He had a very bad limp and he couldn’t talk properly anymore. My aunty said Uncle Bert was just unlucky and that he had had a stroke but I didn’t believe her. My grandfather said it was caused by his own stupidity because white men should stay out of India which is full of all kinds of dangers………..I don’t think that things have changed very much what with that bomb killing all those people in Allahabad last week Elliot.
Eliot thought, what did she want him to do? Jump up, run out the door and rush straight to the nearest Air Asia Office, if there was such a thing and cancel his tickets?
I suppose that the real answer to the question where do I come from is Nagambie. My father was a bank manager there and my mother, home duties of course. My father was not a very nice person. That’s what everyone in town thought. Everyone was scared of him. Once a man accidently ran over our dog and my father beat him up in the street in front of people going about their shopping.
Eliot could hear the sound of the knife on the chopping board and now he was listening to her. Was she being serious about her father?
He was a cruel man and especially to my mother. He made his mark whenever he was disgruntled, whenever he had too much to drink. Knitting needles, the electric iron accident, clothes pegs, anything to get the desired effect. I know that this is hard to believe. She covered the marks and got on with day to day life until he killed our cat, her cat, and something gave. I still remember standing on the small round covered entrance to our house with its ionic columns and the rain was pouring down. I remember, I was wearing my red coat with the velvet collar and my Uncle and Aunty drove up in their Holden and they carried umbrellas to us while we grasped our suitcases and ran to their car. Soon we drove off with the windscreen wipers slapping. We never saw my father again.
When Eliot heard Eleanor say that her father made his mark he drifted away and thought of Special on the train and the dent in his forehead. Then he was startled and her voice was closer, she was taking of her apron.
In the beginning everyone said that my mother had been lucky, married well, every one said that. But they were wrong. Who you marry is a big thing Eliot, it could be the start of good luck but maybe bad luck. To think that I am half him makes me shudder every day. Oh, sorry, I have gone on haven’t I Eliot? Don’t get me started talking.
She smiled a guilty sort of smile, more like a corroborative smirk as she came and sat down beside him on the couch. Eliot made some sympathetic noises. He felt uncomfortable. Not because she sat so close to him, although that was a little disconcerting, not because of the pegs and the electric iron, but because he sensed that knowing so much about her meant that their relationship had just changed and nothing could be done about it. It was handy not to worry about cooking and cleaning up on his last night, great that someone would look after Elvie, but at what cost? She looked directly into his eyes when she spoke to him, her cleavage front and centre.
I have just put the fish in the oven Eliot and It shouldn’t take too long, maybe twenty minutes……... You must be quite excited. Tomorrow, and off you fly. So tell me about your new boss. What was his name again?
Jalal, Jalal Singh……well he is a retired doctor who lives in Strathmore in an almost mansion, behind a high concrete wall and an electronically locked gate with an intercom. He was born in a village called Madho Patti in Uttar Pradesh about seventy years ago. I guess he wants to do some good for the people of his village so he has turned the family home into a school. By doing good he means to help the students to learn the English language but most importantly to follow the path of enlightenment as he calls it, by following the teachings of Ananda Marga.
Oohh!! Ananda Marga they are those dangerous bombers aren’t they?
I would say that he is quite an unusual man. I mean that he is very short and you wouldn’t call him handsome by any stretch but nevertheless he is super confident and single minded in his plan. I don’t think that we have much in common and he might not be the easiest person to live with but I’m sure that his heart is in the right place. Anyway, I will have to share a room with him for a few days so I guess that I will get to know him fairly well.
Oh, dear dear, I will worry about you Eliot. I hope that you have made a sensible decision.
I don’t need anyone to worry about me. I have done this before. I can look after myself.
Maybe, Eliot but you are not getting any younger and before I suppose you had your wife for support.
For a split second Eliot was about to jump up and burst out the door but Eleanor was talking over his feelings.
Yes, I suppose you have been doing this job most of your life. What is it exactly that you do Eliot?
Eliot wasn’t sure how seriously he should take the question. Did she care? Did she really want to know? Don’t take yourself too seriously he heard himself say in his head.
I’m a teacher trainer. My job is to help teachers who teach English as a second language to make the learning more interesting, more fun for the students.
Well that’s a very important job Eliot. You must be very pleased with yourself.
Was she serious? Because it was question time he couldn’t help himself and maybe she would pick up the hint of sarcasm. He had never shown an interest in her before.
So what exactly do you do Eleanor?
Oh I thought you knew Eliot. You know how I said that I got a copy of our next book club book at the library for you. That is where I work. At the library. I am the senior librarian……. I will just check the fish but I think that we can eat now. Would you mind opening your bottle of wine. I’m not very experienced with these things because as you know I’m a boring old teetotaller.
The table had been set when Eliot arrived and now they sat down opposite each other. Steamed Barramundi and an Asian salad. It smelled and looked delicious. Eliot poured himself a glass of wine and she poured them both a glass of water. His thoughts and feelings towards Eleanor were suddenly confused. He wished that he could disappear. He was getting to know her. She was very kind to him. Something, some sneaky perception was challenging him.
I would like to say grace if that is ok Eliot……
She
