Rhythm
by
John Terry Moore
CHAPTER 22
The old Ford crunched along the gravel drive, and Adam parked in the barn. Barney was there shortly afterward, but there was a black and white streak that shot through the air, screaming with excitement and into Patrick’s arms. Then he jumped down and sprang on Adam until he picked him up and nursed him. “Jacko,” said Adam, “I think you missed us a little bit!”
“A little bit,” said Mrs Green, the temporary house keeper at the farm. “He’s been inconsolable,” she smiled. “He’s been into every room in the house, looking for you, but when he saw you interviewed at the Games, I thought he was going to eat the television!”
They collected their bags and were about to walk inside when Prince and Hector joined in the welcoming committee.
“They heard the car, and then they bloody heard your voice, darlin’,” said Adam, as Patrick went over to the carrot bin and found a snack for them. The noise continued even after they had been fed, and Patrick had to climb into the night paddock with them to greet them properly.
“You only see that rapport with animals very rarely,” said Mrs. Green. “And I‘ll swear when Pat took ill after the race, they all knew,” she said, dabbing her eyes. “Oh Adam, is Pat all right, then?”
“Yes, Ollie,” he’s fine. But no more Olympics for us.”
Olivia Green had helped Mary Church raise all her children and she loved them all. But particularly Adam! And now Patrick. It was no surprise when Adam brought Patrick home for the first time. Olivia and her late husband Trevor had been the only townsfolk who had openly supported Will and Maurie all those years ago when old Percy Church disowned his eldest son for choosing Maurie Chapman over Joan Woodbridge. Now she ‘house-sat’ on the rare occasions Tom and Mary were away from home. Being winter, both the cattle and sheep needed handfeeding; she had a part-time helper for those tasks, and even took over herself at times, feeding silage from the enormous rolls, behind the big tractor.
Adam and Patrick struggled inside with their luggage, Olivia holding the kitchen door open as the warmth and beautiful cooking smells welcomed them. Tom, Mary, Will and Maurie and Melanie had taken another precious week of holidays and were putting their feet up in Singapore on the way home. Adam and Patrick had two weeks before they were due back at university, but before then they had to attend each state parade and welcome home party for the Olympic athletes. Their initial reaction was one of frustration, because all they wanted was to be here, at the farm to rest, recharge and recuperate. But Craig Williamson was adamant.
“Welcome to public life,” he had said. “It does get onerous; I for one understand how you feel. But if it helps, remember young people like our Simon. They need reassurance and a sense of celebration to remind themselves what you really stood up for at the Games, and it wasn’t your sporting prowess! And you have to constantly reinforce your supporter base, because they consider, quite rightly, that you belong to them! Both from the point of view of social responsibility and for your own future financial security.
So go home to the farm for three days, but don’t forget, you have to be in Sydney on the 20th and early morning for your first media interview, and after that, for the first parade.”
*****
They had a beautiful meal; it was now one of the simple pleasures that had been reinstated in their life that they could eat what they wanted, within reason. Olivia Green was a country cook, and she just wanted to spoil the boys completely. In particular Patrick, ‘because he had been sick.’
“But Mrs Green,” he said. “I only fainted!”
Adam smiled at Patrick trying to talk Ollie out of more food. So he had a few morsels of apple shortcake and slipped the rest to Jack, who was sitting as close to him as possible!
“So what’s on your mind, Ollie?” grinned Adam.
“Oh nothing, dear, nothing at all.”
“Ollie,” said Adam, “you’re talking to me! Is it something on the farm, did something happen whilst we were away?” Adam held her hand.
“No dear,” she said. “Nothing went wrong at all, in fact all the stock are looking better for this time of year than they ever have. But it’s just that the Shire Council has been in touch and -----” her voice trailed off.
“And they want to give us a welcome home before anyone else,” laughed Patrick. “Well yes Pat dear, actually they want to have a Civic Reception for you. Tomorrow! And I said you’d probably be exhausted after what you’ve been through.”
“What time, Ollie?” queried Adam.
“Three o’clock, dear, at the Council Chambers.”
Adam looked at Patrick and smiled, and he nodded his agreement.
“Oh thank you darlings,” she said. “There are so many beautiful men around the district of all ages, who are just like you boys, and this is just what they need. Someone who has excelled at something not despite being gay, but because of it! You won gold at the Olympics because you were such a together couple! Your partnership made you the best rowers in the world in your event!”
She was on her favourite tirade again, Adam realised.
“I know you think I hold grudges, Adam,” she smiled, “but I’ve moved on from the hurt and dreadful attitudes of nearly thirty years ago. When Uncle Will and Maurie first got together and your dad and mum supported them, along with Trevor and I. But there are still a few of those, those, arseholes left and I will have my moment of personal pride when you stand up there and receive your key to the town! Because that’s what they’re going to give you!”
Adam quickly rang Craig Williamson and together with Patrick on a conference call, they agreed on what should be said.
“But I sympathise with Mrs Green,” said Craig. “Here it is 2020, and still some members of the general public are being shitty to same-sex attracted people. I know, because it happened to Simon yesterday! So if you feel like departing from our agreed script and giving them a lecture on same-sex politics, then do so! But remember, you guys have to live there! I’ll organise the Advertiser to be there ----- they have great journos and are very much on side.”
*****
It was nearly 9.00am when they finally staggered into the kitchen; Olivia made them omelettes and coffee. The telephone calls were persistent, and Olivia only interrupted them for the ones of vital importance.
“Your family has been here for generations,” Patrick said as he piled more melon jam on his toast. “But I would like to thank everyone that’s made me feel welcome here.”
“I know, darl,” Adam smiled at him. “Let’s go and put some words down together.”
Adam parked the Ford in the ratepayer’s car park next to the Council Chambers. Perhaps the small crowd were expecting a Rolls Royce or a limo to arrive under the portico; because they were just about to walk in the main door with Olivia when they were recognised. Surrounded by well-wishers and just a few sticky beaks, they made their way to the Council Hall where The Shire President and Councillors were introduced. The Shire President’s address was the typical, safe Australian country speech which was of course, sport orientated. Nothing else. Adam and Patrick looked at each other and grinned. Then it was Adam’s turn to respond, and he touched on the history of the Church family in the district. Then he went on to apologise for his parents’ absence and that of his Uncle Will and Maurie, together with Patrick’s mother, Melanie who were spending a few extra days in Singapore to relax. Olivia smiled. The mood changed and it was obvious the very subject no one wanted to speak about was about to rear its ugly head. Ted Stirling, the Shire President tried to interrupt, but he was too late.
Adam flashed his most disarming smile, and the crowd applauded as he said, “And now ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, I’d like to introduce my partner in life, Patrick Benson!”
Patrick moved to the podium that had been set up as they requested and he began; “Ladies and gentlemen. I asked if I could speak today because I wanted to publicly thank those in this district who have made me feel so welcome in the 18 months or so that I’ve been associated with the Church family. It has been the happiest time of my life for several reasons; not the least of which is that I finally realised what I wanted to do for a living. I found I wanted to be a farmer!” Several of the old blokes nodded their heads knowingly, because Patrick’s ability with animals had not gone unnoticed in some quarters. He continued, holding up his hand, and also Adam’s.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, if you look closely, you will see Adam and I are wearing almost identical signet rings as a reminder to ourselves and the world that we are a partnership. We feel very privileged to have these rings because they are inexorably linked both to the history and now the future of this district. They belonged to Edward Fleming and Charles Beamish, who, as some of you will know, were two English gentlemen who were among the early settlers and pioneers here. They were wonderful farmers, very kind and generous people and they put an enormous amount back into society. They were also a partnership just like Adam and I! If Adam and I can emulate Messrs. Fleming and Beamish in every possible way, we would be delighted.
We are also most proud to have Adam’s Uncle Will and his partner, Maurice Chapman as role models; people who have also given an enormous amount to this community, and Victoria. I repeat, Adam and I feel most privileged to already be a part of this community. And who wouldn’t; being surrounded by wonderful productive country, fresh air, good food and best of all, lovely people! The perfect place for us to bring up our kids! Thank you for your kind words, Mr Stirling, on our sporting success, but I hope in the years to come, we can offer a great deal more to the community than just sport! Thank you and good afternoon.”
Olivia Green couldn’t wipe the smile from her face. Old Ted Stirling had turned a deep-purple colour, but he was now, thought Olivia, recalling a lurid saying from her late husband, ‘fucked and far from home’! Ted Stirling had been one of the stirrers when Will and Maurie had been thrown off the Church property nearly thirty years ago. The vicarious pleasure she felt at his discomfort was reward for years of being snubbed in the street simply because she and Trevor supported Will, Maurie, Tom and Mary. And here was Ted, trying desperately to get on the gravy train that Adam and Patrick had created, hoping that his mates in the retail sector in town would see him as their saviour. Adam and Patrick had boxed Ted in because they had actually aligned themselves with the history and the future of the district! And they had the credentials, at the moment, to do so! And because they had made a point of thanking everyone for their support, Ted and his cronies on Council had no idea how many or how few locals were really supporters of same-sex partnerships, and particularly of Adam and Patrick!
But it certainly appeared that the four-hundred or so people attending were prepared to give them unqualified support as the boys worked the room, enjoying the mountain of food provided by the CWA, thanking everyone, shaking hands, kissing the ladies and quite a few of the blokes! And they spent a lot of time with the young people, signing autographs and just being themselves.
“Shouldn’t you guys be in school?” teased Patrick, to Gina, a VCE student from the high school, and her mates.
“Our teacher decided the interaction with you guys would teach us more about life than he could in the classroom,” she laughed. “So the whole class is here, including Mr Bennett; that’s him coming over now!” The regional TV station did a five minute interview, and the Advertiser was there; ----- and Patrick handed over their notes to use as a press release.
*****
The following day they drove and walked around all the stock; and Adam crutched about 30 dirty sheep that Olivia had drafted off from their two tooth wethers. Beautiful meals, plenty of exercise and a lovely soft bed were just what they needed. Plus the chance to make love as they felt like it, with no timing constraints and no interruptions.
Reality set in as they kissed Olivia good bye and drove to the airport the following night. Their interview with Jenny Gregson was the next morning and the Olympic welcome home parade in the afternoon. So they decided to fly to Sydney and overnight there. Without any prompting, Jenny had supplied Craig Williamson with a list of the questions she wanted to ask them, a measure of the trust felt between interviewer and interviewees. They arrived at the studio around 7.00am, going straight into makeup. And next moment she was there. The real Jenny Gregson, friendly, funny and not a trace of the analytical and probing interviewer. And she was touched that they had chosen her program and herself out of all the local media.
“Why?” she said.
“Because you came to our aid when old Ted Macfarlane was bad-mouthing us, and everything you have done on us both before and after the fact, has been very supportive, and above all else, very fair,” smiled Adam. “That’s why!”
“All I did was just report the facts,” Jenny replied. “Unfortunately, the truth is always the first casualty when issues of lifestyle are being debated. And the churches still get involved even though their social influence is so diminished these days. And it is really so non-productive in our modern society. To have this Christian thing where their desire to turn us into saints is only surpassed by trying to make us all the same as each other! Which never works, because we’re all different and because we’re human, thank goodness!”
*****
Jenny crammed her regular contributors into the first fifteen minutes of the morning program and then it was all the Olympics and Adam and Patrick, introduced by The Rhythm of Life which had, through the promotional video become an anthem for both her guests and the entire Australian Olympic Squad. She told viewers how pleased she was to welcome all the Olympic team home to Australia and reminded everyone that the parade was that afternoon in Sydney. That other capital cities would have theirs independently and that the ‘face’ of the Olympics, Adam and Patrick, given the support and interest shown, had willingly agreed to attend each event. And then after asking all the planned questions about how they met, where they lived at the university, who were their best mates, and then the training, the racing, the final, the ugly homophobic incident, etcetera, etcetera, she then turned the program over to talk back. There were so many calls it embarrassed the station. For two hours they fielded calls from all over Australia and even overseas. The show’s producers did a good job of vetting the calls, but some loonies still got through. There were far right do-gooders who wanted to offer their expert explanation on causation. And still more who claimed that the Lord God would seek retribution for their wickedness, and the end of the world was nigh. But the majority were just ordinary people, touched by the down-to-earth attitude of two people they saw as both sporting heroes and an ordinary loving couple, due to be married in a few weeks.
But it was the young people who were especially poignant. Simon Williamson was one of the first on the line, and he told how his father owned a public relations company, but it wasn’t until Adam and Patrick became his clients, that he felt empowered to speak out about himself. That their image and example had driven him to come out to his family. And now his mum and dad, brothers and sisters loved him more than ever; that instead of feeling isolated, depressed and unworthy, he now felt part of his family group and part of life. That suddenly his grades were better at school. And the really good part? He now had a boyfriend, and life was a blast! There were many similar calls from country areas, where, as Adam explained, even though society’s attitudes had changed, there were still pockets of homophobia in some of the regional centres, the smaller towns and farming communities. Where young people, particularly boys, were still expected to conform to the straight stereotype and in the cases of same-sex attracted kids, suicide was a tragic by product of their isolation, loneliness and rejection.
He told how, in years past, his Uncle Will and Maurie had driven all over Victoria speaking to service clubs, sporting clubs and anyone else who would listen to them, about this terrible crisis in the bush. And how they had made a difference. That there was still an awareness problem; both from families, friends, and the kids themselves. But the tone from the young people in the talk back segment was decidedly upbeat, and Jenny Gregson said so.
“And there is no doubt it’s because of you guys,” she said. “So Adam,” she continued, “together with Patrick, you are now the second generation of your family to actively save lives in the community.”
The talk back session completed, the station went to a commercial break, and Jenny leaned back in her chair, obviously and not surprisingly mentally exhausted, as were her guests.
“Before we wrap up,” she said, “would you mind just a few comments about the wedding? Then I’ll let you go so you can relax a little before the parade.”
They talked about the venue; for them the university and the International Centre for Human Partnerships was the epicentre of their life and shared fifty-per cent with the farm. So the Grand Chapel was the venue, same place as the wedding of their mates and fellow oarsmen, Lance and Angelo, a few weeks before the Olympics. And their wedding party would be Lance, Angelo, Darcy and Jacob. With their mothers to be their witnesses. But there was a special ceremony within the main ceremony, (as with Lance and Angelo), where all the family members were honoured for their participation in their lives.
“And how many are attending?” asked Jenny.
“As many as we can fit into the chapel and outside under a marquee,” said Patrick, smiling.
“But how many on the official guest list?” persisted Jenny.
“There is none,” smiled Patrick again.
Adam took over. “Jenny,” he said kindly. “Obviously we could make a lot of money out of our special day by selling the exclusive rights to a television network. But how could we possibly justify isolating ourselves from the general community on such an occasion? When the community has supported us so loyally? So we decided to open it up for all the media; one camera inside the chapel feeding all the networks that are interested.”
“So we’ve asked them all to make a contribution to the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations instead of compensating us,” said Patrick. “And we’ve told the media how much and we’ve told AFAO which research project,” he grinned. ‘Their’ tune came on followed by the program sign off, and they all sat back and relaxed.
“So are you coming or not, Jenny?” teased Patrick.
“How could I refuse?” she responded. “But if the public is coming in big numbers where will I sit?”
“Well, here’s your invitation, love,” said Patrick, passing over an envelope. “We’ve reserved a few rows of seats for our close mates and those who have supported us, and I think you’re sitting next to the Prime Minister and Praveen.”
*****
The late August weather in the southern states didn’t disappoint. It rained in Melbourne, Hobart and Adelaide, but it didn’t stop the biggest crowds in the history of Olympic homecoming from turning out. Trying to return to the public some of their investment. Then to Perth and Brisbane. They did Darwin by themselves, and created a sensation as a result. No one ever bothered with Darwin; it was seen to be too small and too far away to be considered. But its importance as the closest Australian centre of population to Asia was undisputed, and the thriving same-sex community finally felt empowered. They both loved the place and for the first time as a couple, they recognised they had an empathy for a place other than the farm. They did Canberra as well, turning the street parade into an all-day celebration of same-sex families and in the evening attended a cocktail party at Parliament House, hosted by the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition. And Praveen floated around the room with them, introducing them to the movers and shakers of Australian politics.
*****
It was hard work; countless receptions and parades, shaking hands, working the crowds. After countless official dinners, all they wanted to eat was yoghurt! And of course the groupies were everywhere, wanting anything from a quick snog to a gang bang! What was annoying, was the complete disregard for their privacy and their partnership. A phone call to Craig Williamson and Matthew, and their security man from the Olympics was dispatched to join them in Adelaide and he stayed close for the remainder of their commitments. Finally, just ten days before the wedding day, they arrived back at the farm. They slept and rested for two days, ate only Mary’s home-cooking and ran and walked for exercise. Jack was ecstatic. He shadowed Patrick in particular; for a little creature that had been abandoned once in his life, he was not surprisingly uptight when his masters left for places unknown. So they brought his basket into the bedroom at the farm; he slept on their bed initially, but when the action happened, discretion became the better part of valour and he abandoned ship immediately and took to his own bed! The family arrived for Sunday lunch and later on that afternoon, Adam and Patrick left for uni, Adam driving and Jack on Patrick’s lap. Two hours later, when Patrick rang Mary to say they had arrived, she looked out the kitchen window at Barney.
“Jack might be happy to have you guys around,” she laughed, “but poor Barney is beside himself! He’s looking for Jack! Tom says we’ll have to put Barney into therapy, he’s searching for him everywhere!”