Ananda. Scott Zarcinas

wings, would he bother with all the earthly problems of human existence?

       “It went quite well, I guess,” he said, watching the birds fly overhead. “Dr. Billy told us not to feel guilty about our situation. He said lots of couples have difficulty conceiving,” and then he lowered his head, sighing. “We’re not the first, I guess, and we won’t be the last.”

       Norman’s neck was craned to the sky as he too watched the parrots fly by. “What’s this Dr. Billy like then, you know, apart from being the god of fertility?” he asked, now looking at Michael.

       Michael quietly grunted, as he would if Norman had trodden on his toes. He let his thoughts return to the previous evening and the initial reaction he had to the doctor and his plush office. “Angie likes him,” he said, running his hand through his hair. “She thinks he’s charming.”

       “But you don’t?”

       “I don’t know,” and now Michael was feeling as awkward as when he was sitting in the doctor’s office. He took several deep breaths with his head to the light-grey heavens. The last of the noisy birds flew over. “I just get a strange feeling from him. It’s like he’s got an ulterior motive to be so pleasant.”

       “Of course he has,” Norman said. “He wants to make money. Isn’t that what every doctor wants? It’s how he pays for his three cars and five houses. He has to be charming and nice so you’ll give him money and tell all your friends what a lovely guy he is and how he solved all your problems. He’s also thinking about your second and third kids as well. Money, money, money, that’s what it’s all about.” Norman rolled his thumb and fingers together, pretending to feel the wads of cash in his hands. “Anyway, what’s wrong with that?”

       “That’s not what’s bothering me,” Michael said, now running a hand through his hair and returning his gaze to the children running on the oval. “I know he has to make his money, but it’s, well, I don’t think I like my wife calling other men charming and nice.”

       “Ha!” Norman said, gleaming. “So that’s it. You’re jealous. You’re as green as your jumper. Look at you. You’re not concerned with how good a doctor he is. All you’re worried about is that Angie finds him charming.”

       “Okay, okay. I admit it. I’m a little insecure about it.”

       Norman chuckled, as though in recognition of his dilemma. Michael was silent for a while. Another lap was completed and he reckoned it wouldn’t be long before the bell would ring to end the lunch period. The galahs, too, he saw, had returned to the treetops overlooking the dry creek bed, squawking loudly. Norman wanted to know what else had happened and Michael knew he wouldn’t relent until he had heard every last detail, so he told him about the blood tests Angie had to have and the abdominal scans she was booked in for later in the week. Even he had to give a sample of sperm to be examined, which brought a chuckle from Norman. The doctor was hoping these preliminary investigations would give some clue as to why they couldn’t conceive.

       “Kids,” Norman said, shaking his head and sighing. “One’s enough to drive me up the wall, and I’ve got five! Take my advice, Mikey. Pull out now while you still can. It’ll be the death of me to see you throw your life away like this.” Michael watched Norman put his forearm to his brow, like a ham Shakespearian actor in sorrow. “I can’t bear to watch you do it. I’d rather die than let you make the same mistakes I did.”

       “Stop being so melodramatic,” Michael said, smiling lopsidedly. Norman had a way of lightening any situation, and he was glad for his company. “It’s going to be okay. I’ve always wanted to have my own children. Look,” and he spread his arm to the kids on the oval, “see how happy they are. I want what they have.”

       “There’s no need to be so pathetic.” Norman rolled his eyes and sighed exaggeratingly loud, feigning disappointment. “Let it be said that Norman Page tried his best, but not even he could do anything to save his friend.” Michael said nothing, just smiled, and Norman threw his arms outstretched, lamenting, “Am I the only sane man left in the world?”

       The ringing of the bell drowned his words. Normally, Michael would have been happy to end another thankless lunch hour of teacher’s duty, but he had been enjoying his time with Norman and was sad that it had to come to an end. They waited until all the children had left the oval before following them to the rear entrance of the building. The bricks of the school façade were the deep rusty color of the central Australian desert soil, and from his angle the kids looked like multi-colored ants returning to the safety of the anthill after gathering supplies for the nest.

       They wandered slowly into the school corridor after the kids. The noise was incredible. The children were shouting and screaming and stomping, and as Michael and Norman approached their respective classrooms they had to shout to each other to be heard. They bade goodbye and agreed to meet each other after the final bell for a quick drink at the local tavern. It was Friday night, after all, it had been a busy week and Michael reckoned he deserved a drink or two. Norman was about to step into his classroom, when he abruptly stopped and turned around.

       “When will the test results be available?” he asked.

       “December 22nd,” Michael said. “Hopefully it’ll be a nice Christmas present for Angie.”

       He smiled and walked on towards his classroom, but he wasn’t thinking about the results of the fertility tests. He was thinking of nightmares and running and whispering voices.