Australian Story

Rhymes are often without reason when we look on the surface of our daily

circumstances. Yet, the best reasons are in the rhymes we don’t see that move

us beyond to something bigger than ourselves. We hadn’t come to realise this at

this stage of our comfortable lives, but something was developing. It came from

the whisper of humming music, lingering from a young boy of ten, in his dusty

bedroom of the housing commission house in which he lived. The rough

floorboards where he sat were hard and cold. He rocked himself as he sung his

own melody, entertaining himself with the tones of his own story. He made no

sound, nor were there lyrics of sense to his personal overture. No one knew he

existed to even be interested. Even amongst all the banging noises which

drummed around him within the house, couldn’t be outdone by his personal

cradle song and nor did he, himself, realise that God was watching him.

******

The phone started to ring in the hallway as I was changing Julie’s nappy in her

room. I picked her up and went to answer it. “Hello, Vanessa Willis?…Hi,

Mum…yes, Mandy arrived about ten minutes ago. Dale just dropped her off and

went back to work. Do you want to talk with her?…okay...sure…I’ll tell her. Not

a problem. Thanks for phoning. Bye.”

6

I moved to the kitchen where Mandy was sitting at the table, waiting patiently

for me.

“Mandy, your mum just phoned to see if you got here safely,” I told her.

“Okay, thanks, Van.”

“I’ll make some tea.”

I placed Julie in her plastic high chair and started to put on the kettle for some

tea.

“You don’t mind me staying for a while, do you, Van?” Mandy asked.

“It’s fine.”

“I offered to pay you some board, but Dale wouldn’t let me.”

“Mandy, it’s fine,” I repeated strongly.

“You sound disapproving,” she perceived by the tone in my answer.

“I don’t mean to sound that way. I guess it’s only natural for you to want

to visit him. He’s your only brother.”

“But I still sense you object to me coming here?”

I placed the mugs of tea on the table and sat down. “I don’t object you visiting

us, Mandy. The only thing I fear is Dale’s passion for helping people. He

changes people’s lives, just by his desire to give unconditional love to everyone

he meets, a hundred and ten percent. The trouble is, the world is so taken back

by his love, they want more of him. So much more, he can’t physically handle it.

Dale’s heart reaches out so far beyond what most human beings are capable of.

Sometimes I really don’t think he knows his own limits.”

******

Dale was at his desk in his office going through some of his paperwork. A tall

and tired faced woman in her mid thirties entered his office carrying a pile of

letters to be signed.

“Dale, Cathy needs you to sign these so they can go out with the rest of

the mail this afternoon,” she said, as she placed the pile on his desk in front of

him.

He glanced up from his work. “Sure, Terese.”

He moved the typed matter closer to him to check through the details before

signing them.

“How was your sister when you picked her up from the train?” Terese

asked.

“I sensed things aren’t as good as I hoped for her,” he replied, as he

made his signature on one of the letters. “She hasn’t been since her accident.”

“When did it happen?”

“About six years ago. Vanessa was pregnant with Jordan at the time.”

“How did your family cope?”

“We were all pretty shaken up,” he told her. “…while trying to help Mandy

through it. Initially, she took it better than we did. Talking about not being able

7

to see the destruction of the world around her, but I know deep down she

misses seeing things.”

“Well, you know you have our support.”

“Thankyou, Terese,” he smiled up to her, gently. “That’s very much

appreciated.”

“Well, you’re a real breath of fresh air around here,” Terese conveyed

with a coldness in her meaning. “…after the likes of Reg Kipling. We were all

very glad to be rid of him…finally. More so me. It took long enough.”

Dale looked up at her blankly. It seemed that Terese was bearing some

bitterness regarding his predecessor. He knew very well that ill feelings develop

ill responses, even towards those who are innocent bystanders, such as the

community he is serving.

“Anyway, I’d better get back to my desk,” Terese sighed, wearily. “Robyn

needs some reference material sorted out. I’ll get these straight to Catherine.”

Dale watched as Terese left his office. If his well-experienced offsider was

feeling bitter, how many of the other library’s staff bore the same scorn for what

had occurred in the past? Though Reg Kipling had left, the ill feelings still

remained in his wake, and as a leader under God, his job was under a Higher

mandate than of his predecessor.

******

Terese entered the library’s office lunchroom. Penny was sitting at the table

resting her eyes, with her mug of tea sitting dormant in front of her. Terese

started to make some tea for herself at the kitchen bench.

“You’re due on the front desk soon, Penny,” Terese reminded her as she

stirred her mug of tea and sat down next to her.

“I know,” Penny replied, sleepily arousing.

Terese noticed that Penny was quiet. “What’s eating you today?”

“Nothing,” she replied, leaning forward to take a sip of her tea to wake

up, but realised it had gone to an unpleasantly bland temperature.

“Boy, I’m sure glad not to be working for Mr. Kipling anymore,” Terese

expressed openly. “The old grumble-butt. I’m slowly feeling like a new woman

working with our new boss. He’s really great.”

“That’s good.”

“How’s your grandfather?” Terese asked.

“Fine, just getting old.”

“How was his operation?” asked Terese, taking a sip of her mug of tea.

“They repaired his knee cartilage. He’s resting now in hospital.”

“Dale’s sister arrived this morning from Melbourne. It sounds like she’s

going through a difficult time as well.”

“Aren’t we all?” Penny sighed.

“What’s up with you?”

“Just having problems sleeping lately?”

8

“Why don’t you go and see the doctor?” suggested Terese.

“It’s nothing medical,” Penny assured her. “Anyway, as you say, I’m due

on the front desk. So, I’ll better go and relieve Tony and Robyn.”

Penny stood up and left the lunchroom. She was normally a bright and friendly

librarian, who loved children, often reading stories to them in the children’s

library. Terese thought she may be having some marital concerns, but didn’t

want to stick her nose in where it wasn’t wanted.

******

Dale entered the loungeroom that evening after putting Jordan and Julie to bed.

I brought out a tray carrying a pot of tea and started to pour the tea into the

three mugs that sat beside.

“Did the kids settle down okay, Dale?” I asked him.

“They were fine,” he replied as he sat down on the couch. “Jordan’s

excited about meeting a new class friend who’s into painting like he is.”

“He would be,” I smiled. “Move over Picasso. The Willis Gallery is

legendary.”

Dale chuckled as he lifted up his book which he was in the middle of reading.

“You’re a very good father, Dale,” Mandy spoke up as I placed her mug of

tea beside her.”

“I have a very good father to learn from,” he smiled.

“Just watch your tea there, Mandy,” I gently interrupted, as I placed it

beside her chair. “It’s just to the right of you. It’s very hot.”

“Thanks, Van,” Mandy replied.

I sat down next to my husband on the couch.

Mandy continued. “But Dad was never as good with us as you seem to be with

your children.”

“Didn’t you feel close to Dad, Mand?” Dale asked.

“Not as much. I remember there were times when I found it hard to

approach him. He was often too tired to be bothered with us, but you are

always there, Dale.”

“It’s because I want to be.”

“Are you sure it’s all right for me to stay with you for a while?”

“I meant what I said when we were leaving Melbourne last year, Mandy,”

Dale told her, seriously. “Please, don’t worry about it.”

Dale closed his book again. “Mandy, when Mum rang and told me you were

having some problems at home, I was concerned for you. But why couldn’t you

approach Mum about it? She’s always been a good listener. She is also there for

us.”

“I wanted to tell you, Dale,” Mandy replied. “Mum is great, but I really

wanted to tell you. You’re my brother. You’d understand.”

“What’s worrying you, Mand?”

9

“Well, you know how Zoë is married with a child?” Mandy began. “She’s

always going out socialising, doing so many exciting things. You’ve moved away

from Melbourne and now Mum and Dad want a life of their own. I heard Mum

talking on the phone last week about needing time to do things alone with Dad.

I’m just hanging there at home, not able to do much. I’m not like everyone else

who is blind, who can get up and overcome their blindness and beat the odds.

I’m a quiet person. I’m in the way at home, Dale. I’m twenty-two and should

be married by now. Everyone expects me to be, even those at church. I’m the

only one left at home and I’m tired of trying. I can’t hang on anymore.”

Mandy lowered her head as the tears entered her eyes. Dale stood up and

crouched down in front of her, taking her hands gently.

“Mandy, it’s all right,” he said. “Probably, all you need now is a chance to

think about what you really want to do as a career and what you think God is

asking you. Sometimes, it does take years to find that out. You’re welcome to

stay with us for as long as you want so you can think things through. You’re still

a part of our family anyway, so we need to give you that chance. Listen, would

you like to come with me to work tomorrow?”

Mandy lifted her head with glee. “Me? At the library?”

“Yes. It will be just for the morning. I’ll be needing some help in my

office tomorrow and I’ll drop you back home at lunchtime. How does that sound

for you?”

“Dale, I’d love to help you. I really would.”

“Great.”

******

Terese entered Dale’s office the following day with his morning mail. Dale was

at his desk going through some of his paperwork, while Mandy sat opposite him.

“Good morning, Terese,” he greeted her with a smile. “You haven’t met

my sister, Mandy. She’s just helping to sort out a few Braille cards for the

talking books.”

“Pleased to meet you, Mandy,” returned Terese, turning to her with a

smile.

“Mandy, this is Terese Morgan. She basically helps me run the library,

keeping me informed on library matters and staffing problems.”

“Pleased to meet you,” Mandy said.

“You’re very welcome here,” Terese smiled. “You’ll be able to fill us in with

all the details on what mischief Dale got up to while he was growing up, can’t

you?”

Dale lowered his head, shyly.

“I’d love to,” Mandy replied.

Dale lifted his head towards his colleague. “What can I help you with, Terese?”

Terese approached him to show him the library staff roster sheet. “Now, I’ve

made up a new roster for the evening and weekend staff. I have, also,

10

contacted a couple of qualified women who used to work here to be on calls, just

in case we need the extra help.”

He began to browse over the roster sheet. “You’ve got Catherine working

Saturday mornings. She’s not required for phone duties then?”

“She needs a little overtime,” Terese answered. “She’s only helping out

with shelving and returns those mornings. She’s saving her money for a deposit

on her own home. I wanted to give her that opportunity.”

“Okay, just make sure she doesn’t do too much overtime. We need her to

be alert for her phone duties and I don’t want to upset the council’s budget,

especially with our high school casuals as well for general duties.”

“No, there’s no problem,” she assured him. “I’ve phoned the council staff

manager and he’s happy for her to do Saturdays, but no more.”

“Okay, you’ve done well there. It’s good that we have two on calls for

emergencies.”

“Lyn and Leonie used to work here years ago, but when they married and

had kids, they wanted to return to the kitchen. Who’d want to spend time in

the kitchen for Adam’s sake?”

“That’s excellent.”

“You’re welcome,” she replied. “With Reg Kipling gone, it’s making my job

ten times easier, I can tell you. Just one more thing if I may be so bold to ask.”

“Sure.”

“Would it be okay if I leave an hour earlier tomorrow? I need to take my

son to the dentist.”

“Not a problem,” Dale replied. “I’ll make a note of that.”

“Thanks.”

Terese turned to leave his office.

“Just before you go, Terese.”

She returned to face him. “Yes.”

“Adam was the progenitor to the human race. He wouldn’t have

encounted many kitchens in his time.”

Terese looked at him, puzzled. “What?”

Dale smiled, before Terese realised his sense of humour.

“Oooo…you’re cheeky,” she laughed, waving her finger at him. “I can see

we’re in for some dead set stickers with you.”

Dale gave a quick chuckle.

“Encountered many kitchens!” she mumbled as she left his office.

“Sheeesh!”

.......

Dale was sitting at the kitchen table, taking down some notes from his quiet time

lesson. Lindsay entered the kitchen and sat down opposite him.

The start of Dale’s day always commenced before the rest of us arose as he

hardly ever failed to make time with the Lord. It was a time when his busy day

ahead would feel touched with God’s Spirit, especially as a leader of a council

library, where big decisions are made on behalf of the community.

Lindsay watched him for a minute before Dale glanced up to him with a smile.

“What’s that book?” Lindsay asked inquisitively, peering up and down at

the thick book full of thousands of words that was open in front of his foster

father.

“You mean this book?” Dale asked in reply, placing his hand on his brown

vinyl New King James Bible which I had bought him for Christmas.

Lindsay nodded with curious eyes.

“It’s called the Holy Bible,” he told him. “God speaks to us through it.”

“Is He talking now?”

“Yes, He is. He’s telling me to keep faith.”

“What’s that mean?”

“It means to keep our total trust in God,” Dale explained. “We leave our

problems in His hands and He sorts through them for us. Sometimes I forget to

leave things totally with Him, and begin to work things through for myself.

Sometimes God lets me work things out for myself, and other times I need to

just leave it all with Him.”

“Why do we have God?”

“We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for God,” Dale smiled. “He made us.

Have you heard the story of Adam and Eve?”

Lindsay shook his head.

“Adam was the first man and Eve was the first woman. God created

Adam from the dust of the ground, did you know that?”

Lindsay shook his head again. He didn’t even know who Adam and Eve were to

know anything different.

99

“God breathed air into his lungs and the first man was walking around.

When God created Eve, the two of them started to have children and that’s how

we came to be, and how the world got going.”

Lindsay lowered his head. To him, God seemed more like an imaginary friend.

A toy, like his friend Tooter. He didn’t understand how God could talk to anyone

and not be in the same room with them.

“What are you thinking, Lindsay” asked Dale worriedly. “Is there anything

worrying you? Are you a little baffled about who God is and where he lives and

what He is?”

Lindsay nodded.

“You don’t need to worry, mate,” Dale smiled. “You’ll get to know Him as

time goes on. God doesn’t expect you to know Him overnight, especially if you

have come out of a world of neglect and abuse. God will reveal Himself to you a

little each day.”

Lindsay stood up sadly and went back to lie in his bed. Dale followed him and

crouched down in front of him, stroking the boy’s head.

“Lindsay, what’s worrying you, mate?” asked Dale gently. “I don’t like

leaving for work knowing my kids are feeling unhappy. Do you want to talk

about it?”

Lindsay shook his head sadly.

“Okay, when you are ready to.”

Lindsay started to cry.

“Come on, Lindsay,” Dale persisted firmly, as he sat down on the bed

facing him. “I don’t like to see you like this. That’s making me unhappy too.

What’s worrying you?”

“I’ve never had a nice room or nice food, and a nice home with a garden

out the front, and swings out the back, and nice wallpaper on the walls, and

even someone who kisses me goodnight and reads to me.”

Dale smiled. “Are you feeling overwhelmed by all this love? Does that mean

you’ve never known the feeling of being loved?”

Lindsay nodded.

“Are you frightened of it?” Dale asked as he crouched down again in front

of him, stroking his head gently.

Lindsay nodded.

“I’ll tell you something. I was too. Frightened to be shown the true

meaning in case it hurt too much. Giving it was easy. Receiving it was different.

Are you frightened of the love we give to you?”

“I don’t know.”

“Do you feel a little lost trying to grasp this new lifestyle we seemed to

have put you in?”

Lindsay nodded as Dale returned to sit down on the bed.

“Lindsay, I know this is a brand new experience for you. Having to adjust

to a different way of life, with a different set of rules, and, even, a totally

different family to try to fit into. Don’t worry. Just take one step at a time each

100

day. Whatever comes your way will come and we’ll be here to support you and

help you through it, because we love you very much. You’re our son now.”

“Am I loved?”

“Very much.”

“What is love?”

“Love is one of the most important gifts from God. It’s a way of life, and

it’s also the feelings we have inside us.”

“What feelings?”

“What caused you to come back to the library the day after the police

came into my office?”

“Um…you were kind to me. You didn’t yell at me for taking the books.”

“Did you feel as though someone cared about you and what you were

feeling?”

“Yes.”

“That’s love. Those feelings inside that you felt in your heart when

someone cares about you and doesn’t treat you like a doormat or a punching

bag. When they accept you as a person, when they generally have your well

being in their hearts like we do, then you can be sure of being loved, okay?”

Lindsay nodded, then began to smile up to him.

“So, you have a good day today, and I’ll see you when I get home from

work tonight. You can tell me all the exciting things you did, simply because I’m

your dad, and I am very interested in the things you like to do.”

Lindsay smiled. He began to understand what Dale was talking about. That

someone did really care for him and was interested in him.

******