Parallel Lives

by Narelle Minton

  Chris ran about, his pale skin and blonde hair, contrasting with the black-skinned children, content to sit quietly. People near her pointed at him, smiling and nattering to each other. Natalie smiled back. The lady beside her asked, “Where are you going?”

  “Milne Bay.”

  “You’ll love it there. It’s very beautiful and very safe. Are you on holiday?”

  “No, I’m going to work there as a volunteer.”

  A heavy-set, young woman, wearing a loose dress, leant forward. “I come from Alotau. I’m going back home now.”

  “Do you know if they have a child care centre there?”

  “You don’t need to worry about that. There are plenty of young women happy to look after children. It won’t cost you much. I’ll speak to one of my wontoks if you like.”

  “What’s a wontok?”

  “A wontok is probably what you’d call a relative. It’s someone who speaks the same tribal language.”

  “Thank you for your help. By the way, I’m Natalie.”

  The woman reached out her hand and shook hers. “My name’s Shirley. I work at the guest house as a laundress.” She proceeded to write down the address on a scrap of paper and handed it to her.

  The small plane vibrated alarmingly as it ascended into the clear, blue sky. Unperturbed, Chris, curled up on her lap, drifted off to sleep. Natalie gazed out the window, watching the built-up area of Port Moresby recede, along with picturesque bays and gentle hills. The rugged, densely vegetated mountains of the Owen Stanley Range came into view, rising to enormous heights beside her, making the plane seem tiny and vulnerable in comparison. Natalie could just make out the shimmering, blue ocean through the window on the opposite side of the plane. All too soon they began to descend, bringing into clear view miles of coconut plantations, magnificent old colonial homes and groups of native huts with thatched roofs set amongst palm trees. She would have liked to share it all with Chris but he remained fast asleep, even after they landed.

  With him in her arms, she joined the line of disembarking passengers making their way to what looked like a small shed. Progress was slow. She heaved Chris from one shoulder to the other, craning her neck to see what was going on. Airline attendants appeared more interested in chatting with passengers than getting on with the job. As she approached the counter, she realised everything was being done manually. She hadn’t only arrived in another country; she’d gone back in time as well.

  Finally, inside Gurney Airport, she caught sight of a tall, skinny, black man with a greying beard, holding up a card with her name scrawled across it in biro. With relief, she approached him.

  “Ah, Natalie.” He smiled broadly. “I’m Albert. We’ll wait for your luggage. Then I’ll drive you home.”

  Albert collected her bags from a trolley, put them in the back of a jeep and helped her and Chris into the front passenger seat. The vehicle took off with a roar and bumped along a narrow road, thick tropical rainforest hugging it on either side. Natalie looked up at the huge trees, marvelling at palms that climbed high into the sky. “It’s so lush.”

  “Yes, we get a good wet season here.”

  Before long the jungle thinned, with an occasional house coming into view. Albert turned abruptly up a gravel side road between palm trees and shoulder-high grass. An assortment of small, older-style, weather-board cottages came into view. “You’re staying at the high school. One of the teachers’ houses is empty.”

  They stopped in front of a cottage, similar to others they’d passed. Chris stirred on her lap as Natalie opened the vehicle door. “Look, we’re at our new home.” Suddenly, he was wide awake and bounding up the overgrown dirt path, almost hidden by long grass. They climbed the slatted steps to reach a wooden veranda that ran the length of the house. Chris began trotting up and down it, enjoying the sound of his sandals on the bare timber.

  Albert brought up her luggage, unlocking the door and giving her the key. “Have a good afternoon. I’ll be back to collect you in the morning.” With that, he was in the jeep and gone, the engine groaning and dust flying up behind him on the gravel road.

  Inside, the house reminded her of old holiday shacks where she’d stayed as a child. The wooden floor was neither polished nor covered. The gas stove looked older than her and the refrigerator was not much better. When she opened it she discovered it’d been stocked with food, as were the cupboards. There were two bedrooms, one with an old double bed and the other with two single beds. The bathroom had a toilet, basin and cold shower. Natalie was uncertain about cold showers but the rest of the place had a quaint appeal. At least there’s a twin-tub washing machine.

  Exhausted after the long trip, she lay on the double bed while Chris played on the floor with his lego. She looked out the window at the swaying palms and listened to the sound of birds, immersing herself in the serenity that permeated the place.

  Before long she was disturbed by the sound of knocking at the door. On opening it, she was greeted by a small group of local people, most of them children, with bright, open smiles. “Can we help you missus?” asked the girl in front. She was probably about sixteen, neatly dressed with clear skin, Polynesian features and shoulder-length, curly hair.

  “What do you mean?”

  “My name is Rose. I’ll help you with the house and the baby. I love white children. My brother will cut the grass.”

  “How much do you want for it?”

  “I just like to help. You decide.”

  “Give me some time to think about it.”

  One of the boys came forward, offering her ripe bananas.

  “Thank you. Would you like some tea?”

  They nodded.

  “You stay here on the veranda with Chris while I make a pot.”

  Natalie soon returned with a pot of tea and biscuits on a plate. The biscuits were quickly devoured as they relaxed into easy conversation.

  “Would you like to see the sea?” asked Rose.

  “How far is it?”

  “Not far.”

  One of the bigger boys hoisted Chris onto his shoulders. With glee, Chris whooped, “Giddee up, giddee up,” encouraging his steed into a trot. The small party made their way along a narrow track through tall grass and palm trees, soon reaching the water’s edge. The beach was pebbly with crystal clear water rippling onto the shore in tiny waves. Settling herself on the beach, Natalie felt as if she could see forever. The air was clear and fresh. Chris leapt about with the other children on the water’s edge, his laughter ringing out across the water as he rejoiced in his new freedom, unhindered by the fences that normally enclosed him. A gentle breeze tempered the intensity of the tropical warmth, which seeped into Natalie’s muscles, relaxing her body and lulling her mind into a state of quiet repose.

  Rose started weaving a mat from reeds that grew beside the beach. Fascinated, Chris tore off some reeds of his own and, with Rose’s help, began making one too. The other children joined in, giving him advice and encouragement. Chris grinned as he held up his mat for Natalie to see.

  “You’re so clever. We’ll take it home and find a place to put it.”

  Chris proudly handed it over to her.

  Chapter 18

  1974

  With no curtains on the windows, they woke early the next morning. Their new friends soon appeared and Chris rushed out the door to greet them.

  Rose’s brother, Steve, a boy of about fourteen, had brought a scythe with him and began to cut the long grass. Natalie watched, uncertain what to say.

  Rose reassured her. “It will only cost you two kina, Missus, for the grass. While you’re at work I’ll look after Chris and clean the house for fifteen kina a week.”

  Rose walked into the house and started washing up the breakfast dishes.

  Two of the children, seeing Chris’s plastic skittles on the veranda began collecting coconuts from the yard and bowling them down the veranda toward the skittles. Chris joined in. The sound of the children’s laughter rang out over the noise
of the coconuts rolling over the timber floor.

  Albert arrived in the jeep. Seeing Natalie on the veranda, he gave her a wave. “Good morning. Get in and I’ll take you to the office.”

  She grabbed her bag and joined him beside the vehicle. “These people have offered to look after Chris. What do you think?”

  “They’ll be fine. Girls are brought up looking after younger brothers and sisters. I can drop you back at lunch-time to check on him if you like.”

  Natalie went back onto the veranda to say goodbye to Chris. “Are you happy to stay here with Rose while I go to work?”

  Chris nodded, a big grin on his face.

  Natalie gave him a hug and a kiss. She turned to check on him as she got into the vehicle but he was already immersed in the game.

  Albert returned to the main road and continued along it for a short distance before turning left into the main street of Alotau. Natalie looked with dismay at what appeared to be about a dozen dirty, dilapidated buildings, all made of timber with rusty, iron roofs, situated along both sides of the street. With no shop-front windows, displays of products spilt out the doors onto the footpath. It appeared to be the cheap Asian rubbish that she would pass by at home. The street was bespattered by red blobs of betel-nut local people spat out wherever they happened to be standing. “Is this all there is?”

  “Yes, you’ve seen it all. The capital of Milne Bay used to be on the island of Samarai. There’s more to see there, though it’s a bit run-down. You should get a boat over there sometime and have a look.”

  Albert drove around the corner and stopped in front of a house, not much different from her own. “This is where you’ll be based. Will you walk here or do you need me to pick you up of a morning?”

  “I’ll be right to walk thanks.”

  She followed Albert into the house, through what appeared to be a meeting room, with an accumulation of mismatched government supply armchairs on an unpolished timber floor, into a bedroom that had been converted into an office. A tall, dark-skinned man with short, curly hair, an intelligent face and a welcoming smile rose from behind his desk. Dressed tidily in western clothes, he extended a hand to Natalie. “I’m so pleased you’ve arrived. My name’s Samuel.”

  Natalie shook his hand.

  “I hope you’re comfortable in your house.” He sat back down, motioning for Natalie to sit on a straight-backed wooden chair. “Yes, very comfortable thank you. I’ve already made friends with some of the locals.”

  “Great! You can trust people here. Unlike the fierce tribes in the highlands, the people here are originally from the Polynesian islands. They’re very gentle and kind. What will make it easier for you is that nearly everyone speaks English. The Christian missionaries spent a lot of time here in the early days. You won’t need to learn pidgin.”

  “I hadn’t realised there’d be any difference.”

  “There’s a huge diversity of languages and cultures in this country. You’ll find it an interesting place to explore once you’ve been here a while.”

  “I’m looking forward to it.”

  “With independence coming next year, the government plans to develop the country through a focus on local communities. By funding groups to create co-operative enterprises, they’re aiming to improve the employment situation. We’ve been given a grant in this province to create fishing co-operatives. What I need you to do is go out into the villages and talk to people about the project and get them to sign up. It shouldn’t be too difficult because we’re offering money to help them. You’ll have to assess the needs of each group to ensure the money is distributed fairly and prudently. Then you’ll monitor the programme to ensure funds are spent the way that’s been agreed. It’s all about building trust and good relations with each village community. If you don’t keep a good eye on them, the most powerful men will take the money and spend it on their own families or on alcohol. You’ll have to teach them about budgets and record keeping. I’ve got a simple format here.” He passed Natalie a copy. “They’ll all use these same record sheets. You can read all about the project here.” Samuel pointed to a glossy booklet on his desk.

  “It sounds really exciting but do you think with me being a foreigner it’ll be harder to get their co-operation?”

  “Quite the reverse, it will give authority to the project. I’ll support you in your work but as the government representative in this area, I’m supervising a whole range of projects and won’t always be available. I’ve written out a list of the most accessible villages for you to start with.” He handed this to Natalie. “Albert knows where they all are. He’ll be your driver. I’ll let you read the material this morning. Then at lunchtime, if you can return home and get your passport and other personal identification, I’ll go with you to the bank to open an account.”

  With that, he rose and led her to another converted bedroom. There was an old timber desk with an office chair beside it. On one wall was a bookshelf with various pamphlets and books. An electric fan stood in the corner. “This is your office. There are pens and paper in the drawer. You shouldn’t need a phone as the villagers don’t have phones. If you do need one for anything you can use the one in my office. The kitchen is next door. Make yourself a cup of tea or coffee any time you want.”

  He left the room and Natalie sat down at the desk. She gazed out the window at banana trees swaying in the breeze. The sun shining through the window, made everything look bright. I’m really here.

  After completing umpteen forms left on the desk for her, and reading the information Samuel had provided, Natalie grabbed her bag and pulled out the books on community development she’d brought with her. She focused on relating social work theories to the new project, making notes as she went. As she progressed, her enthusiasm grew. I’ve got a real chance here to make a difference in people’s lives.

  Deciding it was lunch-time and, in the absence of anyone else being about, she left the building, gently closing the door behind her, to walk home to check on Chris. This time, as she scrutinized the buildings in the main street at close quarters, they didn’t appear so daunting. As well as the Chinese stores, there were a Burns Philip supermarket, a post office and Westpac and Commonwealth banks. People were meandering about or chatting with one another in a relaxed way. She noticed two young men walking along hand in hand, immersed in conversation, as she made her way around the red blotches of betel nut. I’ll manage here. It was pleasant to turn onto the airport road and walk along beside the sea, with the tall grasses and palm trees on either side of her. Though it was hot and muggy, the breeze made the walk bearable. On reaching home, she quietly entered the house. There she found Rose ironing clothes she’d left out because they’d been crushed in transit.

  Rose put a finger to her mouth. “Chris has gone down for a nap. Do you want me to make you some lunch?”

  “No, it’s OK I’ll make a sandwich. Would you like one?”

  “Yes please.”

  “Gosh, those louvres look clean and shiny.”

  “My plan is to do one room of windows each day. I want to make the house really nice for you and Chris.”

  “I do appreciate it, but don’t push yourself too hard. I don’t expect it with you looking after him as well as doing the housework. How’s he been?”

  “Good as gold. He’s been playing with the other boys. They enjoy having someone new to play with in the school holidays. I think they’ve worn him out.”

  “The yard looks good too. I’m surprised your brother got it finished so quickly. Here’s the money for him.”

  “Thank you, missus.”

  “Please, just call me Natalie.”

  After lunch, she collected her passport and a few other bits and pieces she thought might be needed. “I might be a little late this evening. I want to buy some groceries on the way home. Oh, I’d better take my back-pack.”

  “No problem, Natalie. I’m happy to stay as long as you need. Also, if you want to go out to a party or something of an even
ing, I can stay with Chris.”

  “That’s so kind of you. Bye then.”

  On her return to the office, Natalie found Samuel and Albert had returned.

  “Right,” said Samuel. “If you’ve got your passport, we’ll go and open that account.”

  When they got back, they sat down together in Samuel’s office, each with a hot drink. “So what do you think?” he asked.

  “I thought this afternoon I’d prepare a little talk to give the villagers. After I give my talk, I’ll open the meeting to questions and general discussion. I think they’ll need some thinking time, so I intend to make a date to return to follow-up.”

  “Sounds great to me! I want you to come up with a list of dates you’ll be visiting villages this week and give it to Albert. He’ll go out this afternoon and prepare the people so they’re ready for you.”

  “Fine, I’ll do that.”

  “Once you’ve finished your preparations, you can go home. I know you’ve got a child to look after. We don’t do the 9-5 thing here. Just come in when you’ve got things to do and leave when you’re finished.”

  “Thank you.”

  After finishing work, Natalie walked to the open air market where she purchased locally grown fruit and vegetables. There were none of the potatoes she was used to in Australia so she bought the locally grown kaukau. They were similar to sweet potatoes. She found the choices in the supermarket even more limited but purchased some Chinese rice and other bits and pieces. On returning home, she was greeted on the veranda by a happy, little boy with outstretched arms, eager to tell her all about his wonderful day.