by Felice Arena
‘I'll get it!’ she yelled, dashing out of Specky's bedroom, only to return a few moments later.
‘It's for you,’ she said, handing the phone over to Specky and pulling another goofy expression.
‘Hello?’
‘Hi, Speck.’
It was Tiger Girl.
‘Hi, what's up?’ asked Specky.
‘Um, Speck, remember I wanted to ask you something yesterday, before that Year Seven kid interrupted us?’
‘Oh, yeah. What was it?’
‘Um, well…’ She trailed off.
‘What's wrong?’ Specky said. Tiger Girl didn't sound like her usual confident self.
‘Um, nothing. I was just, um…’
Specky looked up to see that Alice was still standing there. He waved at her to get out. She didn't.
‘I was just wondering if…’
‘Yeah?’
Tiger Girl cleared her throat. ‘Well, I was wondering if you would be my debutante partner?’
‘Debutante partner?’ repeated Specky, taken aback.
Alice sniggered and began to mouth, ‘She lurves you…’
‘Rack off!’ snapped Specky.
‘Oh, okay. I'll ask someone else then,’ stuttered Tiger Girl.
‘No, not you!’ said Specky quickly, back into the phone. ‘I wasn't telling you to rack off. My sister's bugging me. Hold on!’
Specky pushed Alice out of his room and slammed the door shut. He could still hear her giggling in the corridor.
‘Sorry about that,’ he said, returning to Tiger Girl.
‘So, do you wanna be my partner? You can say no, if you want. It's just that all my old friends from last year are now in Year Ten and they're all doing their deb with the Year Eleven girls and, well, I didn't want to miss out…’
Specky had never heard Tiger Girl sound so nervous before.
If only she knew how nervous I am, he thought, his mouth drying up. I can't dance for nuts!
Specky had a flash of what he had told the Great McCarthy—about not being a wimp. He had to practise what he preached…
‘Yeah, sure,’ he mumbled, reluctantly.
‘Really? You'll be my partner, then?’
‘Yeah, I will.’
‘Great! Thanks, Speck. This is gonna be so much fun. Our first dance rehearsal is Sunday afternoon at the school hall, and then every Sunday from then on. I'll tell you more about it when I see you at school. Anyway, I gotta go. See ya!’
Specky had no sooner hung up the phone when Alice burst back into the room.
‘So, did you say yes?’
Specky nodded.
‘I knew she was gonna call you. Rachel told me that she had heard from her sister's best friend's cousin that she was thinking of asking you. Anyway, it's gonna be weird having my little brother in the some debutante group. Just don't hang around me and try to be my friend.’
‘Yeah, right,’ scoffed Specky, wondering what he had just got himself into.
‘So, how will Christina react? She won't get jealous, will she?’
‘Christina? Oh hell! Christina!’
Specky jumped off the bed and grabbed his jacket.
‘What's going on?’ Alice asked, stepping aside.
‘What time is it?’ Specky panicked. ‘I'm meant to be meeting up with her to see a movie round about now—and I forgot all about it!’
‘Stop saying sorry. You weren't that late. I'm just glad you're here,’ said Christina, sitting between Specky and her friends, Sophie and Emily, in the dark cinema. The movie had just started.
‘SHHH!’ hissed a man sitting directly behind them.
‘Yeah, but it would've been good to be able to talk to you instead of rushing in here at the last minute. I wanted to ask you something,’ whispered Specky.
‘What?’
‘SHHHH!’
‘Do you wanna go outside, just for a sec?’ asked Specky.
‘But we'll miss the movie,’ said Christina, surprised.
‘Okay, yeah, then maybe after.’
‘No, let's go now, but just for a couple of minutes. I can tell something's up,’ added Christina. She whispered to her friends that they'd be back soon.
Specky and Christina shuffled their way out of the row, trying to ignore all the people shushing and whispering ‘get out of the way’ and ‘move your big head'.
‘Look, I really am sorry I was late,’ said Specky again, once they were out in the lobby. ‘Tiger Girl called me. She asked me to be her partner for her debutante.’
‘Cool! I can't wait to do mine next year,’ exclaimed Christina. ‘That is exciting!’
‘You don't mind?’ said Specky, relieved.
‘Mind what?’
‘You know, Tiger Girl and me, dancing together?’
‘Of course not,’ smiled Christina. ‘I know you're just good friends. You are just good friends, aren't you?’
‘Yeah, yeah, we are,’ nodded Specky.
‘Then great! By the time you're my partner you'll be a specky-tacular dancer.’
Specky and Christina groaned in unison at the bad joke.
‘So, is that what you got me out here for? Because you were worried I'd be jealous?’ asked Christina. ‘That's so sweet!’ She gave him a kiss on the cheek.
Specky didn't want to ruin the moment, but he had to ask…‘Well, not exactly,’ he said. ‘Look, um…I didn't believe it when Screamer told me today, and I bet he was only making it up to stir me, but I was just wondering…Did you talk to him about me earlier this week?’
Christina paused for a second. ‘Yeah, I did,’ she said.
‘You did?’ Specky's jaw tightened and his heart jumped a few extra beats.
‘Wh…why?’ he stuttered.
‘'Cause I thought he was being a jerk and I was gonna say that he should tell the others to let you play or else I'd tell them that he…’ She trailed off into silence.
‘That he what?’ asked Specky.
‘Nothing. Don't worry about it!’ snapped Christina defensively.
But Specky wasn't going to let it drop. ‘No, you were about to say, I'd tell them that he…what? What have you got on Screamer?’ he demanded.
Christina coughed nervously. She was obviously hiding something.
‘Is there something about him you know and no one else does? Were you gonna use that against him to arrange it so that I could play?’
‘What! Where did that come from?’
‘From you!’ said Specky. ‘Remember last year when you were going out with him and you said to me that he has other interests besides footy. Remember? Has it got to do with that?’
Christina looked surprised. ‘You have a memory like an elephant.’ She folded her arms. ‘Look, just forget about it. He told me to mind my own business anyway. And now he's not talking to me—he's mad that I even suggested it.’
‘So why not tell me what the big secret is then?’
‘Because I had second thoughts, and I can't. It's not really like me to do something like that, and I don't want to hurt him. Besides, you ended up playing today—so everything's cool.’
‘Yeah, it's perfect,’ Specky replied, sarcastically.
‘Speck, if you're jealous or something, then you shouldn't be. I was just trying to help you. I don't know what the big deal is, anyway,’ Christina added, raising her voice a little. ‘You know we chat occasionally.’
‘The big deal,’ huffed Specky, ‘is that I don't need anyone sticking up for me. I can look after myself.’
An awkward pause followed, while Specky and Christina both realised that they were having their first major argument. Their faces were flushed with frustration.
‘Then suit yourself…but I thought I wasn't just anyone. Excuse me for caring!’
Christina turned and raced off back into the cinema.
‘Man, I'm an idiot,’ Specky sighed.
6. out of the ordinary
‘Simon?’
Specky's dad entered the study to find him playing
his PlayStation.
‘What's up?’ Specky asked, not taking his eyes off the screen.
‘It's Sunday morning,’ Mr Magee said, stating the obvious.
‘Yeah, so?’
‘Why aren't you watching Sensational Sunday?’
Sensational Sunday was a spin-off from Sensational Stuff. It was Specky's second favourite TV footy show and, except for the time he spent boarding at Gosmore, he had watched it religiously every Sunday morning. But not this Sunday morning.
‘Oh, yeah,’ mumbled Specky. ‘Nah, I don't feel like watching it today.’
Specky glanced back to catch his father pulling the same bemused face Alice had made when he had bagged footy.
After the miserable time he had had yesterday, and that included his night out with Christina, Specky wanted to find out what a day without footy would be like. And that meant not even mentioning it or watching it on TV.
‘Are you okay?’ asked Mr Magee.
‘Yeah, I just wanna do something different this morning,’ replied Specky.
‘Well, there's nothing wrong with that. Would you like to come with me? I'm off to meet a local artist—his watercolours are absolutely brilliant. I'm hoping to exhibit his work at the gallery.’
‘Um, nah, it's okay, Dad. I was actually planning to go for a ride.’
‘Well, if you change your mind, I'm leaving in twenty minutes.’
Riding his bike was the most practical way for Specky to get around, but he also knew that plenty of players used bike riding as a way of cross-training for the football season. It maintained their aerobic fitness without putting the stress and strain on their legs that miles and miles of repetitive running was inclined to do. He could actually tell that it improved his fitness and enabled him to run harder in a game of football.
Specky didn't change his mind, and within a few minutes he was riding his bike around the streets of Camberwell.
He headed towards the shops, but then took a detour into Robbo's street. Specky wasn't exactly sure why he had done that, but he continued to peddle towards his old friend's house anyway. As he rolled by the Roberts’ place, he contemplated stopping and knocking on the front door.
He's probably watching Sensational Sunday, he thought. Maybe he'll ask me what I'm doing here, and I'll say I've just come to hang out, and then he'll say that's cool and…
‘Josh, where's the bucket?’
It was Robbo's dad shouting from the side of the house. He was making his way toward the road. Specky suddenly felt nervous and quickly crunched down on his pedals and took off down the street.
A few blocks later, Specky was almost at Danny's house. As he cruised by the Booyong rover's home, Danny's uncle Joe suddenly hopped out of his car—directly in front of him. Specky slammed on his brakes, and just avoided running straight into him.
‘Whoah,’ gasped Uncle Joe, falling back against the side of the car.
‘Sorry,’ said Specky.
‘That's all right,’ he said. ‘I should've looked before I opened the door. Simon, isn't it? Danny's mate?’
Specky nodded. He had met Danny's uncle and most of his family several times before. They were a huge Italian family that always hung out together. Specky had gone to the footy with them on a few occasions—they were all diehard Collingwood supporters. In fact, Uncle Joe was wearing a Collingwood jacket and cap.
‘So, you coming to the G with us today, Simon?’ he asked. ‘See the mighty Pies?’
‘No,’ said Specky sadly.
‘Oh well, maybe next time. It's gonna be a big game. I know Danny's looking forward to it. We all are. It'll be a good distraction. My mum, Danny's grandmother, has been ill lately, so it'll be good for us to get a bit of air and have a break from it all.’
Even though Specky was trying to have a footy-free day, he suddenly remembered why football meant so much to him and to hundreds of thousands of other people. For many it was one of the highlights of their lives. For lots of people work was something that they had to do to put food on the table and pay the bills. It was not necessarily something that they got passionate about. But footy…that was a whole different matter.
It didn't matter what else was going on in their day-to-day existence—family problems, work or school hassles or just a bit of a rough patch—they could rely on their football side to give them something to look forward to. It could be a tremendous bonding exercise, a social time that united family and friends. For a couple of hours every weekend, nothing else mattered other than screaming their lungs out for the footy side they loved and barracked for.
Specky was always amazed at how devoted supporters were to their team. He could just imagine footy-obsessed families like Danny's trying to plan a wedding. The groom would say: ‘Sorry, darl, we can't get married in February—that's when the pre-season competition starts. March to the end of August is out of the question—can't afford to miss one of the home and away games. And as for the month of September, well forget it—finals time, baby! And October is a little difficult, because Australia take on Ireland in the International Rules and, well, you know, you've got to be patriotic and all. The boys will be back into pre-season in November and you know I like to see how the new recruits are progressing. I tell you what, they break up for Christmas around the twentieth of December and don't start again until the fourth or fifth of January. Maybe we can book a church at that time…Forget about a honeymoon, though. I can't miss that first training session after Christmas.’
Specky knew that Danny's grandmother was as big a fan of Collingwood as Danny was. ‘I'm sorry. I hope she gets better,’ he said.
‘Thanks, mate. Look, let me get Danny for you.’ ‘Nah, that's okay,’ said Specky quickly. ‘I'm just on my—’
‘Danny!’ Uncle Joe suddenly shouted at the top of his lungs.
Before Specky knew it, he was tearing down the street away from Danny's uncle as if he were a Tour de France sprint champion.
‘Man, that was close,’ he puffed under his breath once he had turned the corner.
Specky continued to ride his bike for the next hour or so. He rode aimlessly, eventually ending up in a suburb he didn't know that well. When he stopped to rest and buy himself a drink, Specky noticed a large crowd of teenagers snaking their way into a bookstore. He rolled his bike toward them to have a closer look.
‘What's going on?’ Specky asked a boy about his own age, waiting at the end of the line.
‘It's a book signing,’ said the boy, as if Specky should've known. ‘The latest Hanger MacPherson book is out today.’
Specky had heard of the popular series of books about an up-and-coming footy champion named Hanger MacPherson, written by AFL legend Barry Line and author Fernando Serena. He had read the first two books in the series himself a couple of years ago and really enjoyed them.
‘I can't wait to read this next one,’ added the boy excitedly. ‘They're the best books ever.’
Specky thought of his Gosmore Grammar friend Worm and how he'd get a kick out of talking to this guy. He wondered if he should wait in line himself and get a copy—even though he had promised himself he wouldn't do anything connected to footy for the day.
But suddenly he was distracted. ‘Screamer?’ he choked. Out of the corner of his eye, Specky had spotted a familiar figure hopping off a tram. ‘What's he doing here?’
Specky quickly ducked behind a telephone pole. The boy he had been talking to gave him an odd look.
Damn Screamer, Specky thought. What's he up to now?
Specky watched his rival walk away from the bookstore and turn left into a side street. Specky followed as if he were some kind of secret commando spy. He dodged between buildings and in and out of the way of pedestrians—all very difficult to do whilst wheeling his bike. When Specky turned into a short street lined with trees, he caught Screamer heading into a building a few doors down.
Specky slowly approached the building, which looked like a small public library.
What is this place?
Specky wondered. He caught a glimpse of Screamer through the window adjacent to the entrance.
Specky ducked to the ground beneath the opened window. The bike landed on him. It hurt. He only just stopped himself from groaning out loud.
Phew, that was close, thought Specky.
He got into a squatting position and listened carefully.
‘Mr Johnson, it's two minutes past,’ came a man's disapproving voice. ‘Please be early next time. Talent does not give you a golden ticket to be late. Now, let's begin with some Schubert.’
A few seconds later, beautiful classical piano music filled the room. Specky screwed up his face, confused. He had to see what was going on. Slowly he edged his way up to the window and took a peek inside.
‘No way,’ he gasped, under his breath. Specky couldn't believe his eyes.
Screamer was playing the piano.
7. quick step
Shaking his head in complete shock, Specky watched Screamer play the piano as if he were some concert pianist. Standing beside Screamer was a Chinese man looking over his shoulder as he played.
They both had their backs to Specky and were totally focused on the music.
So, I bet this is what Christina meant by having other talents, thought Specky. But why would Screamer want to hide this? He's great! Maybe 'cause it doesn't go with being a tough jerk the rest of the time.
As Specky listened to Screamer's extraordinary playing he was reminded of some AFL players who had displayed talents in other areas. Sensational Stuff had run a competition to find out who was the best singer in the AFL and Specky had thought that the high-flying Demon, Russell Robertson, had been pretty cool. He could sing and play the guitar. Specky also remembered that Luke Ball from St Kilda had been a champion cricketer as a schoolboy, former Demon Todd Viney had once played tennis against Boris Becker, and that Richmond star Nathan Brown wrote poetry. He'd also heard that retired Kangaroo Leigh Colbert had his pilot's licence, and even that James Hird, the Essendon champion, had attended ballet classes as a youngster. He knew that just because someone excelled in one area, it didn't mean that they couldn't also be talented in a whole different area of life. In fact, all clubs encouraged their players to develop interests outside of football to keep them fresh and to ensure that they explored everything life had to offer.
