Careful What You Wish For

by Maureen McCarthy

  ‘Good on you, Ruth!’

  Ruth noticed that her opponent was sitting in his booth all alone, looking very disappointed. She pushed through the throng of people surrounding her and walked over to him.

  ‘Thanks, Leon,’ she said awkwardly, not knowing what else to say, only that she wanted to make him feel better.

  ‘Congratulations,’ he said, holding out his hand, ‘you did real good, Ruth.’

  ‘But so did you,’ Ruth said quickly. ‘That last one was a bit of a fluke for me.’ This was actually a small lie; she loved reading about the kings and queens of England. ‘It was just luck, you know.’

  ‘Tell that to my parents,’ he said, pointing to a couple standing near the door away from everyone else. A big sour-looking man was dressed in a fawn business suit. Next to him stood a very heavily made-up woman dressed in a white linen suit with lots of gold jewellery around her wrists and neck. They both looked very glum.

  ‘They’re going to be so mad,’ Leon sighed.

  ‘What will they say?’

  ‘They’ll say I didn’t put enough work in.’

  ‘But that’s crazy,’ Ruth protested. ‘I mean, you were one point off winning!’

  ‘I know but …’ He shrugged unhappily. ‘But my brother wins everything.’

  Ruth took another look at the couple. She would have liked to go up and tell them that it was terrible to expect so much of their kid, but of course she didn’t.

  ‘They your parents?’ Leon asked as he stood up. She looked over to where her mum and dad, Marcus and Paul were sitting in the front row smiling proudly.

  ‘Yeah,’ she murmured. Her mum was waving now, in full view of everyone. Ruth gave a small wave and then turned away. Her mother had on that bright-pink knitted dress which didn’t really suit her figure at all.

  ‘They look nice.’

  ‘Thanks,’ Ruth said humbly. Well, at least they’d never give her a hard time for not winning something like this. She shook Leon’s hand again and was about to run down the stairs to greet her family when the silver-haired compere stopped her. He wasn’t quite so enthusiastic or friendly now the lights were down.

  ‘See you next week,’ he said. ‘Make sure you get here a good hour before we’re due on.’

  ‘Okay,’ Ruth said. ‘What happens now?’

  ‘Cindy will look after you,’ he said with a tight smile.

  * * *

  By the time Ruth got to her parents and brothers they were surrounded by a group of people who were slapping them on the back and congratulating them.

  ‘Amazing girl you have there,’ someone was saying warmly.

  ‘You must all be so proud.’

  ‘Well, yes, we are,’ her father’s voice boomed. ‘Ruth’s always been a bit of a one-off. She could read at four.’

  Ruth pushed through the crowd and elbowed him in the ribs.

  But her father was on a roll. ‘Of course, she was in the accelerated program at school.’

  ‘Dad!’

  ‘Oh, here she is!’ Her mother turned around and opened her arms. ‘Good for you, Ruthie!’

  ‘Thanks, Mum.’

  ‘How did you know that last one, Ruth?’ Marcus asked quietly, his voice full of awe. ‘I wouldn’t have had a clue about Queen Elizabeth’s father.’

  ‘If you win next week you get a trip for two to America!’ Paul said excitedly. ‘Have you thought about who you’re going to ask?’ He was looking at her with such longing that it made everyone laugh.

  ‘I probably won’t win,’ Ruth said.

  ‘Of course you’ll win.’ Her mother was smiling proudly. ‘I just know it.’

  Try as she might, Ruth couldn’t help feeling a glow of pleasure when she saw that her whole family were so proud.

  ‘Bye, Ruth,’ Leon called as he made his way out of the studio between his disgruntled parents. ‘Good luck for next week.’

  ‘Thanks, Leon.’

  * * *

  ‘Excuse me, Ruth.’ A glamorous-looking, orange-haired woman in her twenties, dressed in a tight red suit and extremely high heels, interrupted them. ‘I’m Cindy from the network and I’ll be looking after you for the rest of the week.’

  ‘Oh, hello,’ Ruth said shyly. The woman was so perfectly turned out that she looked like a doll. ‘This is my mum and dad and my brothers.’

  Cindy nodded curtly and handed Mr Craze a printout without really looking at him. ‘This is a copy of Ruth’s itinerary for the rest of the day. As you will see, we’ve booked her into the Hilton Hotel for three nights, assuming that’s okay with you?’

  ‘The Hilton!’ Mr and Mrs Craze chorused.

  ‘Well, it’s much easier to get to places from there because you’re, like, way out in …’ She frowned and looked down at her notebook. ‘I’m sorry, I don’t even know where that is.’

  ‘Well …’ ‘I guess …’ ‘You’ll have a big, beautiful room all to yourself,’ Cindy said, smiling down at Ruth, ‘your own bathroom and whenever you want anything you just have to ring down for room service. Night or day.’

  Ruth nodded, trying to imagine what that might mean. ‘So, if I want a milkshake in the middle of the night …?’ She looked at her brothers, who were almost choking with envy.

  ‘Or a hot pie and Coke,’ Cindy laughed, ‘or your clothes ironed or access to the internet … all you do is just pick up the phone.’ Ruth stared at her, openmouthed. ‘Think you can handle that?’

  ‘I’m afraid we don’t have the money for that sort of thing,’ Mrs Craze said awkwardly.

  ‘You don’t pay a cent!’ Cindy gave her a condescending smile. ‘The show will be picking up the tab, and please don’t worry about her. I’ll be in the room right next door. Each morning I’ll take Ruth to whatever media events are happening that day. Staying in a hotel will be a great experience for her,’ Cindy said, reaching out and squeezing Ruth’s arm, ‘and it will make the whole week leading up to the final much easier to manage.’

  ‘I think she might be a bit young,’ Mrs Craze said. ‘To stay in a hotel room on her own, I mean,’ she added. They all looked at Ruth, who was trying not to look as nervous as she felt. But she’d been thinking the same thing.

  ‘What do you say, Ruth?’ Cindy asked.

  ‘I’ll be fine,’ Ruth said quickly. She’d never been inside a fancy hotel before. Not even on the ground floor. Imagine being a guest there!

  ‘I’ll be fine,’ she said again, more firmly.

  ‘Good girl!’ Cindy turned to Mr and Mrs Craze. ‘Think of it as a great … opportunity.’ She consulted her notebook again. ‘Now, that’s about all, I think,’ she said, putting a hand on Ruth’s arm. ‘Want to come and have a look at those prizes?’

  ‘But I’ve got my prize,’ Ruth said, holding up the cheque.

  ‘Oh, I’ve got loads more for you!’ Cindy gave her a toothy smile and winked. ‘I think you’ll be pleased.’

  She looked around at the rest of the family. ‘There’s no need for you to hang around. I’ll take care of her,’ she said. Ruth saw the disappointment on all their faces and felt bad, for her brothers especially. At the same time, she couldn’t help seeing them all through Cindy’s perfectly made-up eyes. Her parents looked so wretchedly old-fashioned and so badly matched. Never before had she noticed just how skinny and tall her father was compared with her short, dumpy mother.

  ‘Ruth?’ Marcus was actually begging her with his eyes. Ruth turned to look at Cindy, who reluctantly relented.

  ‘Well, you could come by for a few minutes to take some of the prizes home,’ she said. ‘I assume you drove here?’

  Mr Craze nodded.

  ‘Off we go, then.’

  Cindy linked arms with Ruth and led the way back into the building through a long windowless corridor, and the rest of the family followed. Ruth glanced behind at them occasionally. The boys were excited but her parents seemed uneasy. She’d be glad when they did go home and she could get on with dealing with … whatever was going to happen next.


  As they followed Cindy’s clicking stilettos down the corridor, every now and then a door would open and a famous face would peep out.

  ‘Hi Ruth!’ said the guy who read the news. ‘Well done! I know you’ll kill ’em next week.’

  ‘Thanks … Mr …’ ‘It’s Kevin,’ he grinned.

  ‘Thanks, Kevin.’

  ‘Good on you, Ruth,’ a pretty blonde woman said, beaming. ‘My whole family was barracking for you. So cool under pressure! You really should consider a career in the media.’

  ‘Thanks.’ It wasn’t until she got a little closer that Ruth saw that the woman was from The Breakfast Show, and behind her getting his make-up fixed was her sidekick – the two most popular television personalities in the country. The man got up from his chair and came to the door.

  ‘What a clever girl you are!’ he said, and then smiled at the rest of the family. ‘You guys must be rapt?’

  ‘Oh, we are!’ her mum said shyly.

  ‘Very proud,’ her father mumbled.

  Ruth could see that they were both a bit overwhelmed. They loved The Breakfast Show.

  ‘We’ll be watching next week!’

  ‘Thank you.’

  Ruth and her family followed Cindy around a corner and then headed down another corridor.

  ‘Struth Ruth!’ came a loud, vaguely familiar voice behind them. ‘Or should I be saying g’day Einstein?’ The Crazes all turned to see Frankie Lee – complete with tatts and dreadlocks, fancy silver jewellery and black leather jacket – beaming at Ruth. ‘Wish I had your brains!’ he added, sauntering up casually. Marcus stared in awe. Everybody knew that Frankie Lee was the coolest man to grace the small screen ever. He interviewed all the best bands and musicians from around the world and here he was here talking to Marcus’s little sister!

  ‘G’day guys!’ Frankie grinned at her brothers and parents but sidled up playfully alongside Ruth. ‘Hey, Cindy,’ he said, pulling a tiny silver camera from out of his leather jacket, ‘can you take a picture of me and Ruth?’

  ‘Sure!’ Cindy took the camera. ‘Up against the wall, you two!’

  The rest of the family edged away as Frankie put his arm around Ruth. Cindy flirted outrageously as she arranged the shot, giggling at Frankie’s jokes. Ruth stood smiling stiffly into the camera, aware of her family’s awed expressions. Could this really be happening?

  ‘Thanks,’ said Frankie as he took the camera from Cindy. ‘One day that one will be worth a million!’ He waved goodbye and disappeared back into his dressing-room. Ruth caught the look of stunned envy on her brothers’ faces and a spurt of wicked pleasure bubbled up inside her.

  * * *

  Cindy led them into a large windowless room. There were a couple of lounge suites and a big round table. But over in the corner was another table piled high with brown boxes of all shapes and sizes.

  ‘All that is for you,’ Cindy said with a smile, pointing at the boxes. ‘Do you want to have a look now?’

  ‘What is it?’ Ruth smiled back uncertainly.

  ‘Everything you can think of,’ Cindy said. ‘Every company in the country wanted to be part of the show. These are the prizes they donated for the finalist.’

  ‘But what have I won?’

  ‘Well, let’s have a look, shall we?’

  Her parents looked on blankly as cameras, watches, iPods, computers and even a plasma television were pulled from box after box. Ruth’s attention was caught by a small package next to the fancy television. Within moments she had unwrapped the coolest little mobile phone. It was silver-grey with a stripe of black dots down each side. Except for Marcus, who had a crappy old thing that was always running out of battery, no one in the family even had a mobile phone! This one was so slim and sharp-looking … And you could take photos with it and send emails and watch telly.

  ‘Can I keep this?’

  ‘Sweetheart, you get to keep everything!’ Cindy waved at the table. ‘It’s all yours and there’ll be more – much more – next week if you win.’

  ‘Does she get to keep all of this?’ Mrs Craze asked doubtfully.

  ‘Of course she does,’ Cindy said. ‘She’s the state champion!’

  ‘But I’m not sure we’ve got room in our house,’ Mr Craze protested.

  ‘Maybe it’s time to put on an extension then,’ Cindy retorted. She looked at her watch and frowned.

  ‘I’m afraid we’ve really got to get moving.’ She gave Ruth a fresh version of her toothy smile. ‘There’s a live interview at ten and heaps of press after that. This is our highest-rating show at the moment, so management want maximum media coverage over the next week, in the lead-up to the national finals, but … are you hungry, Ruth?’

  Ruth nodded. She was starving.

  ‘What time is it?’ she asked.

  ‘Nine o’clock,’ Cindy replied. ‘What do you say to breakfast?’

  Ruth’s brothers’ eyes lit up at the mention of food. Mr and Mrs Craze looked hopeful too. Everyone was waiting to see what Ruth would say. She felt almost drunk with her newly acquired power.

  ‘Great,’ she said. ‘Can my family come too?’

  ‘I actually don’t think it’s a good idea, if you don’t mind,’ Cindy said, looking at Mr and Mrs Craze. The boys’ faces fell. ‘But perhaps you’ll take care of all this?’ She pointed at the boxes.

  ‘Yes, of course,’ Mr Craze said. ‘Come on, boys.’ Ruth and Cindy watched as the boxes were piled up and shared out among her family to carry.

  ‘All right then,’ Cindy said briskly. ‘You’ll be able to find your way out?’

  ‘I … think so.’

  ‘Just follow the exit signs. Oh, and we’ll be in touch about this afternoon.’

  ‘Will you be all right, Ruthie?’ Mrs Craze asked.

  ‘Of course,’ Ruth said.

  ‘Don’t worry, we won’t touch any of it, Ruth,’ her father said. ‘We’ll put it all in your room for you to have when you get back, won’t we, boys?’

  They nodded miserably.

  ‘Okay, thanks.’ Ruth watched them all troop out of the room carrying her stuff, wishing she didn’t feel so … like she’d let them down in some way. ‘I don’t mind if you look at everything,’ she called after them.

  20

  The dining room was very plush, with creamy white walls and carpet that was thick and soft to walk on. Half-a-dozen nicely set polished wooden tables were placed around the room, some already occupied by glamorous people all eating and talking and laughing. Most of them stopped as Cindy walked in with Ruth, and light clapping broke out.

  ‘Well done, Ruth!’ someone called.

  ‘Here’s the Quiz Kid Wonder!’

  ‘Just the beginning, kid,’ called the man from Media Today, ‘you’re on your way!’

  ‘Thanks!’ Ruth now had an inkling of what royalty must feel when they walked into a room and everyone knew who they were.

  Cindy led her to one of two tables in the nicest part of the room, right near a big window overlooking the river. While Cindy was calling the waiter over to take their order, Ruth took a few moments to look out the window and marvel at the river twisting and turning like a glistening brown snake below. She had never seen the city from this high up. If she did go on to have a career in television she’d be able to work in a place like this every day.

  ‘I need to run through our schedule for the day.’ said Cindy when the food arrived. ‘Just go on with your breakfast and I’ll tell you about it.’

  ‘Okay.’ Ruth picked up her knife and fork and attacked her eggs on toast. For some reason she wasn’t quite as hungry as she’d been before. It was probably just nerves.

  ‘First-up, there’s the live-to-air interview with Gordon Blake. You know the show?’

  ‘Not really.’

  ‘Just a chat show. He’ll introduce you as the state finalist. Then he’ll ask you how it feels to be a winner and what your hopes are for the future.’ She laughed a little. ‘You feel comfortable doing that?’<
br />
  ‘I guess so,’ Ruth said nervously.

  ‘Then we have a couple of other interviews. The Sun is going to do a feature article about you and Bindi Irwin. Subject is “Amazing Aussie Kids”. You okay with that?’ Cindy was speaking so fast that Ruth could barely keep up. ‘All will want to do their own photos, so we’ll take you down to wardrobe first up. Okay so far?’

  Ruth nodded, wondering what would happen if she said no.

  ‘And later on in the afternoon a crew will go around to your house and we’ll film an “At Home with Ruth Craze” segment for Wednesday’s Home show.’

  What? Ruth put her knife and fork down. ‘But that show is about houses!’ she said.

  ‘Not exactly,’ Cindy replied. ‘Melissa will interview you at your home, maybe on a sofa or in your kitchen. Then we’ll move from room to room and you can tell us all about your house. Memories, special objects, who does the cooking, et cetera.’

  ‘I don’t think so,’ Ruth said, appalled.

  ‘Really?’ Cindy looked startled. ‘Why not?’

  ‘It’s just that our house is … not very nice.’

  ‘Oh, don’t worry about that!’ Cindy gave a fluttery little wave. ‘It’ll be fine. They’ll do some quick interviews with your parents and brothers. It will be over before you know it and we’ll have a little showcase of Ruth Craze’s life.’

  ‘Our house,’ Ruth stammered, ‘is a sort of …’ She was unable to say the word dump, but that was what she meant. Their house was a complete dump! No way could it be filmed for a home show!

  ‘Doesn’t matter,’ Cindy said firmly, ‘family homes are fine every once in a while.’

  But Ruth was picturing the family bathroom. The yellow, stained basin and smelly toilet, the pile of damp towels in the corner, the broken tiles and patches of mould growing in the shower recess and the taped-over broken window. ‘I told your parents that we’d film only what you guys are comfortable with,’ Cindy said hurriedly when she noticed Ruth’s expression, ‘honestly.’

  ‘So Mum and Dad know about this?’

  ‘Sure,’ Cindy said, ‘they’re fine.’

  But what about the dog hair all over the sofa! Ruth wanted to say. And the grease-laden stove that hadn’t been cleaned since Marcus thought he’d make hamburgers for his cycling team two weeks ago! It was bad enough actually living in their house without letting everyone else see it. Nothing about their house belonged on television … except as a joke! What could her mother have been thinking to agree to it?