The Things We Promise
Page 31
Their father was going to dress in black and white and be the waiter. Ralph told me that his dad’s shirt wouldn’t be tucked in because he was wearing his tuxedo pants from his wedding and he couldn’t get the zip done up anymore.
Dessert was at my place. Mum and Aunty Penny were out for the night. Mum said she might even sleep at Aunty Penny’s so the flat was ours and we could go crazy.
Mr C wanted to serve dessert and wear his red-and-black checked waistcoat. But then he realised the soccer was on. Thank God!
Of course the menu wasn’t fancy. I had been allowed to pick the food. Prawn crackers for entree, cannoli and chocolate chip ice-cream for dessert. But most importantly of all, cheeseburgers with extra gherkins for main course.
Because it was true. Life was better with extra gherkins.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
To the early readers, thank you – Ned Pomroy, Shakti and Marg Burke, Seraphina Burke Xie, Simon Gaunt and Kelly Louise Hargreaves.
Victoria Shehadie for her early trip to the UTS Library where she found ‘Discrimination – the other epidemic: report of the inquiry into HIV and AIDS related discrimination’ / New South Wales Anti-Discrimination Board, 1992. Reading this report spurred me on to tell the story.
Ned Pomroy for his enthusiasm, brainwaves and encouragement.
Peter Mulley for sharing some of his stories that I know were painful to tell. Plus Shauna Flenady who shared her memories of Sydney and NYC during this period.
Library and English staff at Galen Catholic College, Wangaratta, Coonabarabran High School and MacKillop Catholic College, Warnervale, who discussed with me their 1990 fashion (mostly bad) moments; their memories of AIDS and HIV during this period, the lingo and any and all things related to 1990.
Peggy Knott and Paul Grguric, Liverpool Girls’ High School.
James Scutts and his nonna for their checking of my schoolgirl Italian.
Tara Wynne, my agent at Curtis Brown Australia.
Sophie Splatt, Eva Mills, Jodie Webster and Angela Namoi from my new home at Allen & Unwin.
The ever-suffering husband and offspring – Michael, Victoria and Nick Shehadie.
To all the loved ones touched by AIDS during this era. This is my feeble attempt to not let that time be forgotten.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
J.C. Burke has published a number of acclaimed books for teenagers and young adults, including CBCA Notable Books White Lies and The Red Cardigan, Aurealis Awards finalist Nine Letters Long, The Story of Tom Brennan, Faking Sweet, Starfish Sisters, Ocean Pearl, Pig Boy and Pretty Girl. The Story of Tom Brennan won the 2006 CBCA Book of the Year, Older Readers, and the 2006 Australian Family Therapists Award for Children’s Literature and is currently on the NSW HSC syllabus list. Pig Boy won the Ned Kelly Award for Best Crime Fiction in 2012.