Local Status

 Darwin has become a second home of sorts, and nowhere is it more apparent than when I turn up to the silent book club which is held at a local bar on a Wednesday evening.

It’s so good to have a community, when you’re not in your own community.

There are some familiar faces now. Or maybe I’m the occasional familiar face.

After getting my drink and a bowl of chips, I sat down in the beautifully air-conditioned room and started to chat with my colleague who first invited me along. There was another girl there who I’ve seen before. I love her green hair. I could never carry it off..

Somehow, we got talking about pronouns. As a cis-gender, middle-aged, straight woman who uses she/her pronouns I’m about his vanilla as you get. My Veridian-haired new mate said that she uses a mix of she/her/they/we. 

‘We?’ I asked.

‘Yes. I’ve just been diagnosed with them multiple personality disorder. I’m learning to come out as a we. I’m just trying it on at the moment.’

‘Wow. I’m honoured that you’re sharing that with me’

‘It’s all good,’ she said.

‘I’m still honoured you’re discussing this with me.’

‘It’s cool. You’re a safe person. I feel very safe with you.’

I’m still very chuffed about that.

The next little conversation I had was at the end of silent book club, when we break the silence and start to talk about our books. I got to talk about mine fairly early. I’m currently reading My Brilliant Sister by Amy Brown. I explained how this was a follow on from Miles Franklin’s My Brilliant Career. 

There was a young girl who followed me. Her first words were ‘As I’m not allowed to read anything pretentious, I’m reading this fantasy trash.’

As somebody who tends to read more highbrow books, I didn’t quite know how to take this. She was very cool. She was there with her mum, and loves reading and is studying arts down in Melbourne.

She told me after that she had to read tripe to counterbalance when she has been caught reading Alan Ginsberg on the tram.

I had to laugh at that.

I also told her that she really should get onto Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five and prepared to have her mind blown. 

I loved her spunk.

But most of all, I love that in many ways when I’m up here, I feel like I’m home. I never thought I would say that.

Today's song: