Page 106 of The Pearl Sister
‘Only ’cos I’m interested. I told you that art – especially Namatjira’s – is a passion of mine.’
As I followed her out of the hut, I thought how art had been a passion of mine too, but recently it had got lost somewhere along the way. I realised that Ireallywanted it back.
‘I need the toilet,’ I said as we went back out into the glaring heat of the day.
‘The dunny’s over there,’ Chrissie pointed. I walked across the courtyard towards it and saw an illustrated sign hung outside on the door.
SNAKES LIKE WATER! KEEP THE LIDS DOWN!
I had the quickest pee of my life and bolted back outside, feeling sweatier than when I’d gone in.
‘We should make a move,’ said Chrissie. ‘Let’s go and grab some water for the journey back.’
Inside the hut that comprised the ticket office and gift shop, Chrissie and I went to the till to pay.
‘You got that photo, miss?’ said the man we’d met on the way in. ‘Reckon I could show it to one of the elders. They’re due here for our monthly meeting tomorra night. They might recognise the boy Namatjira’s standing next ta. The eldest is ninety-six and as sharp as a tack. Brought up here, he was.’
‘Er . . .’ I looked at Chrissie uncertainly. ‘Would we have to drive back out here to get it?’
‘I’ll be in the Alice on Saturday, so I can always drop it back to ya if ya give me your mobile number and the address of where you’re staying.’
‘Okay,’ I said, seeing Chrissie nod at me in encouragement, so I handed it to him, then scribbled down the details he’d requested.
‘Don’t worry, love, I’ll keep it safe for ya,’ the man said with a smile.
‘Thanks.’
‘Safe drive home,’ he called as we left.
‘So, did you feel anything?’ Chrissie asked as we set off along the wide, deserted road back to civilisation.
‘What do you mean?’
‘Did any instinct tell you that ya might have come from Hermannsburg?’
‘I’m not sure I “do” instincts, Chrissie.’
‘Sure you do, Cee. We all do. You just gotta trust ’em a bit more, y’know?’
As we drew near Alice Springs, the sun was doing the perfect curtsey, bowing down at the end of the MacDonnell Ranges, casting shards of light onto the red desert beneath it.
‘Stop here!’ I ordered suddenly.
Chrissie did one of her sharp brakes and pulled the car over to the side of the road.
‘Sorry, but I just need to take a photo.’
‘No worries, Cee.’
I grabbed my camera, opened the door and crossed the road.
‘Oh my God! It’s glorious,’ I said as I snapped away, and out of the blue I felt my fingers begin to tingle, which was the signal my body gave me when I needed to paint something. It was a sensation I hadn’t had for a very long time.
‘You look happy,’ Chrissie commented as I climbed back in.
‘I am,’ I said, ‘very.’
And I meant it.
