Issue 6 2010 - TLS - Victoria University

of me dating boys at thirteen. We planned our first date in to the city the next Saturday arvo. We
planned to meet at Yarraville station. He got there early and as I approached I saw him standing with
a group of girls, chatting up two of my class mates, even handing them his photo with his number.
Disgusted, I walked away.
And then there was try-hard Billy: a red-haired, freckly blushing lad at my church youth group, who’d
show up any time at my place to chat with my polite mother, or hang around after church making
small talk so he could walk me home, even when I was rude to him. I tried avoiding him. Early
one Saturday morning I saw him crossing the road to my house. I went upstairs, had a long shower,
washing and drying my hair for over an hour, but when I came back down to the kitchen he was still
there, smiling, glowing red and waiting for me. I’d finally twigged how bull-headed he was.
The next Sunday he told me the church youth club was going to the flix in the CBD the following
Saturday night to see West Side Story. Did I want to go with them Did I I was dying to go as I loved
the idea of a musical based on my favourite tragedy, Romeo and Juliet. With its thwarted love and
dramatic death scene, it was just my cup of tea. When my parents dropped me off outside the pictures
there was Billy—standing, smiling, all alone. He handed me a box of Jaffas which matched his freckles
and my fuming face. We went inside, because I still wanted to see the movie, but I sat through the
movie pushing his tentative hopeful hands away. I plotted how I would sool my dog on to him when I
got home, swearing no boy would ever trap me again. 3
1
Known as Artemis to the Greeks.
2
Artemis or Diana (Roman) was the virgin goddess of the hunt. One hot day Actaeon a prince saw her
bathing nude, she threw water at him and he turned into a stag.
3
Acteon’s own dogs caught him (the stag) then tore him into pieces.
Helen Cerne is an employee of VU.
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