Tuesday, 5 March

Alice Springs, Northern Territory

Joe Pittman remembered why he had left the Red Centre; he hated the heat. The moment he stepped out of the car, a blast of unforgiving heat wafted into his face. No one could escape it, even with air conditioning, which made it ten times worse. But he couldn’t help being reminded by the lingering scent of eucalyptus, and the embers of extinguished bush fires. He was home again. Albeit temporary. It’d been too long for Joe Pittman, too long a time to have been away from his hometown. He’d gotten used to the comforts of Canberra, the nation’s capital, and its air-conditioned apartments, its cooler nights, and refreshing mornings. A road train roared past the building, almost toppling Joe. 

He remembered the road trains; monstrous beasts that thundered across the submissive ground, forcing the sealed gravel to shudder in fear. He took a moment to admire the building that made up the Alice Springs Community Learning Centre, an organisation founded by his sister and built by her hands. Then, he buttoned his blazer, and headed inside. He grinned as he saw the wall in front of him was lined with paintings done by some of the kids; most of them Indigenous works, but they all created a happy vibe. A ceiling fan hung low, and spun at a slow speed, but provided little relief from the stuffy atmosphere. ‘Can I help you?’ asked the woman to Joe’s right. She watched him, a stranger from out of town. Joe dismissed the woman’s rude demeanour and leaned against the desk. Sounds like someone’s having a bad day, Joe thought, as he grinned at her. He removed his sunglasses and popped them in between the collar of his shirt.

‘Yes. My name is Joe Pittman,’ he said, his voice coarse and dry. ‘I’m here to see Merindah Bradley.’ He gave the woman a business card. She examined it with an eagle-eye and returned it.

‘She’s in a meeting now. I can get a message to her if you’d like to wait here,’ she said. She pointed to the row of seats against the wall.

‘Tell her it’s important,’ said Joe. The woman glared at him again before picking up the phone. Joe saw a water cooler next to the chairs. He grabbed one of the plastic cups and pressed the handle. No water, fantastic. The last thing you need in this heat, Joe thought, as he downed the millimetre he managed to squeeze out. He slumped onto the chair, exhausted by his long trip; four hours of flying from the nation’s capital took it out of him, even if he got to fly business class.

Ten minutes passed.

He woke from a gentle daze. Falling asleep in this temperature came with its own risks; even a couple of minutes became an eternity. A door closed, the thud bringing him back to reality. Merindah Bradley tottered towards him.

‘Joe, this is a surprise.’

‘Hey, sis…long time, no see,’ he said.

‘You can say that again, brother,’ she said. There was an awkward moment between them. They hadn’t seen each other in two years, since their mother passed away. ‘What brings you out bush?’ They hugged, holding each other for a moment. It’d been a long time since she held her brother like this.

‘You know I can’t resist the outback.’

Merin chuckled at his sarcasm. ‘Looks like you haven’t changed a bit since I last saw you, sis.’

‘I see you have.’

‘Yeah, been going to the gym a bit more. Gotta keep up with those pollies, eh.’

‘I take it this isn’t a social visit?’ Her voice precipitated a change in mood.

‘I wish. I’d like a moment to chat. It’s important.’

‘Sure. I’ve got a couple of minutes. Let’s grab a coffee.’ They made their way to the outdoor seating area next to the school canteen, and Merin ordered them two coffees. ‘You still have two sugars, brother?’ Merin took two sugar sachets from the side bar. She ripped them open and watched as the sugar granules trickled into her cup.

‘Nah. Tryin’ to cut back.’ Joe watched her stirring the coffee. ‘How’s this all going?’ asked Joe, as he saw a bunch of kids playing.

‘It has its moments. We’re having some trouble with funding. We had to make some cuts last year.’

‘Oh, I’m sorry to hear. You should’ve reached out, I could’ve helped.’

‘I don’t want handouts, Joe. I wanted to do this the right way. Not cutting corners like those corrupt pollies in Canberra.’

‘You’re right. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sound condescending.’

‘It’s okay. How’s that cushy government job going?’

‘It’s a job, but it’s a step in the right direction.’ Despite their falling out, and the two-year gap of seeing each other, Merin was proud of her younger brother. She was proud of what he achieved, becoming the chief-of-staff to the Minister of Indigenous Affairs.

‘Well, it’s good to see people from our Mob stirring things up.’ Joe chuckled. ‘So, what’s the real reason you’re here?’ she asked, her voice reciprocating a change in mood.

‘You been watching the news about this republican referendum business?’

‘Sort of. Haven’t paid much attention. Why?’

‘Well, as you know, the Minister is part of the Republican Committee. They’re in the process of selecting candidates for the position of president.’ Merin almost choked on her coffee.

‘The president? You mean, the President of Australia?’ Joe nodded. ‘They reckon this referendum will pass?’

‘Yep. If the referendum is successful, Australia will become a republic.’ About bloody time, Merin thought, as she sipped her coffee. To have an Australian as its head of state is truly a step in the right direction.

‘What does this have to do with me?’

‘When I spoke with the Minister about selecting a candidate, I threw a name in the hat. He didn’t react well to the suggestion, but he warmed to it.’

‘Oh, who is it?’

‘It’s you.’ 

‘Me? You can’t be bloody serious, Joe?’

‘We ran some preliminary polling, and the numbers show you’d be the perfect match.’

‘You think I’d be the perfect candidate to be the first President of Australia?’

‘Think about it, sis. You’d be the first Indigenous Australian to represent Australia as its head of state.’

‘It’s outrageous. The public wouldn’t go for it.’

‘I think you underestimate yourself, sis. You’re the perfect candidate.’

‘Surely there are other candidates fit for the job?’

‘There are, but to be honest, they aren’t as accomplished as you are, sis. I mean, you’re the Principal of a Community Learning Centre in the middle of the Australian Outback. Not to mention, you have an Order of Australia, and voted Australian of the Year. You’d be the voice for the Indigenous community. A chance to make a real difference.’

‘I’d be a target.’

‘I’m not going to deny it’s a possibility. There’s going to be a lot of haters out there, but there’s also a lot of good people who will stand by you and see you as an idol.’

‘This is a lot to take in, and I can’t just leave the school.’

‘I understand your situation, but we can make it work. The Minister wants to ensure this centre gets the necessary funding to keep going. He’s also working with the Minister for Education to roll out a new bill to assist those in regional areas.’

‘I need to talk to John about this, and Jarrah. It’s going to affect them, too.’

‘I know, and they’ll be given whatever support they need.’ The conversation hit a lull, as they took sips of their coffee.

‘Have you been to see Ma?’ asked Merin.

‘No, I haven’t. I’m not sure if I’ll have time. I’m heading out first thing in the morning,’ he said. ‘I’ll try and go see her. Can’t promise anything.’

‘How much time do I have to think?’

‘The sooner we lock in a candidate, the better. We’ve got eleven other candidates in the running, but the Minister is confident you stand a good chance. The PM will be announcing the republican referendum in parliament in May.’ Joe checked his watch. ‘I’d better get back to the hotel. I’ve got a zoom meeting with the boss.’ He buttoned his blazer. ‘At least, sleep on it tonight. Talk to John but get back to me ASAP.’ He leaned forward and pecked Merin on the cheek. ‘Good to see you again, Tidda.’

‘Yeah. You too, brother.’ He patted her on the shoulder and made his way back to the car. 

***

Evening rolled over and the harsh sun eased its crippling bite. Merin drove back to her home on the outskirts of Alice Springs. The Bradley’s humble abode rose from the heart of the timeless terrain, a steadfast symbol of their resilient spirit, with its weathered wood cladding mirroring the sun-scorched hues of the outback. Tired, but relieved to be home after a long day, she grabbed a bottle of beer from the fridge. She didn’t often drink, but today she needed one. John hadn’t got home yet, but he worked late sometimes. She stood by the window by the kitchen sink, replaying the conversation with Joe in her mind. Could I be the President of Australia?  She thought. 

As Merin attempted to process everything, her attention drew to the fly-screen door as it clapped shut. She put the bottle on the counter and waddled along the corridor to investigate. She stepped onto the veranda, feeling the soft burn of the dusk sun on her flushed face. A cool breeze rolled through; bits of straw danced in the air like ballerinas. Merin heard the floorboards creak under the gentle pressure of someone walking. The armchair on the veranda rocked, its structure correcting itself as a figure sat. ‘Bout time you showed, Ma. I’ve been waiting for you.’ Merin saw her mother’s spirit appear on the chair, as if by magic.

‘Sorry, kid. Had trouble finding my way back.’ The woman rocked back and forth while knitting. ‘What’s the word, kid?’

‘I miss you, Ma. More and more each day.’ 

‘You know I’ll always be here for you. How’s our John?’

‘He’s fine. He’s at work.’

‘Good.’

‘I saw Joe today.’ Ma stopped knitting. A smile appeared on her wrinkled face.

‘Sight for sore eyes. Is he still slaving away for white fella in Ngunnawal Country?’ Merin chuckled. She never got on well with white men. Racist bastards, she’d call them.

‘Yes, Ma, he is. But he came to offer me something. A chance to make a difference for us. I don’t know what to do.’

‘What does your heart tell you?’

‘It’s telling me I should do it.’

‘There’s your answer.’ Another gust of wind rolled through. ‘Well, better get back. Be good, kid.’ She glanced back at the empty chair, once occupied by her mother’s spirit, before slumping into it herself. She rocked back and forth, feeling the weight of the wood, as it rippled over the floorboards. John should be home soon, it’s getting late, she thought to herself, as she gazed out at the vast expanse of the Australian outback. 

Another hour went by. 

The sun began to set, and the sky had a dark orange pigment. She turned to see her husband, John Bradley walk in. John, a tall, lanky man with short-cropped hair and a stern expression, smiled at his wife. ‘Hey, sweetheart,’ he said, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. ‘How was your day?’

‘It was fine. But we need to talk.’

‘Uh-oh, sounds ominous.’

‘No, it’s nothing bad. If anything, it’s bloody good.’

‘I see. What’s going on?’ Merin took a deep breath and explained the situation to him. She told him about Joe’s offer and what it would mean for them if she accepted. She talked about the challenges and the opportunities, and how this could be a turning point in their lives. John listened, his face impassive. He had always been a practical man, someone who thought things through before making a decision. ‘Sweetheart, you know I support you no matter what. But you also know that this is a big decision, one that will affect our lives for years to come.’

‘I know, Johno,’ she said. ‘But I feel like this is something I have to do. I have a chance to make a difference, to change the course of history. And I can’t let that opportunity slip away.’

‘I understand. And I will stand by you, no matter what.’ Merin chuckled. ‘Do you remember the time we went camping out bush?’ Merin remembered the trip vividly. They had spent three days camping out at Tennant Creek, surrounded by the vast expanse of the outback.

‘Yep. I remember,’ she said. ‘It was one of the best moments of my life. Apart from my wedding day, of course.’

‘Me too. And you know what I remember most about that trip?’

‘I remember looking up at the stars, and feeling like anything was possible. It was the two of us, out there in the middle of nowhere, and we had nothing but the stars to guide us.’

‘I remember that too. It was like we were the only two people in the world.’

‘And that’s why I know you can do this, Merin. You’ve always been a fighter, and you’ve always believed that anything is possible. I believe in you too.’

‘Thanks, Johno. I couldn’t do this without you.’

‘You don’t have to thank me, Merin. I’ll always be here for you, no matter what.’ John stood and collected his work bag. ‘I’m heading inside for a cuppa. Don’t be too long, Merin. The dingoes will get ya.’ Merin chuckled. Typical Johno, always making inappropriate jokes, Merin thought. ‘I’ll be in soon.’ Merin heard the flyscreen door clap shut. She paused for a moment, her gaze shifted to the fading sun as it dipped over the horizon. ‘Alright, Australia…I hope you’re ready for Merindah Bradley.’