Page 110 of In Sheets of Rain

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The crowd was dressed in black. A few wore Australia’s yellow. The nurse in front of me started banging her sponsor thundersticks together. The blow-up tubes were black with a silver fern wrapped around them. Underneath the emblem was my firm’s name and 0800 number.

The rhythmic banging got picked up by those around us. My boss entered into the spirit, whacking his sticks together with abandon.

The Silver Ferns stepped out onto the netball court, and the entire crowd roared.

I felt a buzz run down my back. My heart beat too swiftly. I banged my thundersticks with the others. The doctor sitting beside the nurse started banging his thunderstruck against hers.

It was like primary school all over again, but instead of rakau sticks made of wood, we had plastic blow-up tubes that made thunder. I was grinning from cheek to cheek. Excited.

A thunderstick whacked me on the back of my head.

I spun around and scowled at Michael. He grinned at me and bopped me on the nose instead.

The Silver Ferns started their warm-up. The thundersticks petered out, and conversation started up around us. I placed my sticks on the ground at my feet and took a sip of my Cola.

The lights were bright, the crowd invigorated. The ball flew through the air like a heat-seeking missile. My shoulder blades itched. I rubbed a hand on the nape of my neck. A thunderstick appeared over my shoulder. Then another over the other shoulder.

They gently banged against my ears.

I grabbed them both and ripped them out of Michael’s hands.

He laughed behind me.

The game started. The Silver Ferns scored first. The crowd began a Mexican Wave around the stadium.

When I sat down again, my butt hit a thunderstick. I yanked it out and tossed it over my shoulder.

Michael leaned forward and whispered in my ear, “So, it’s like that, is it?”

His breath was hot against my neck.

Every time the Silver Ferns scored a goal, a thunderstick poked me in the ribs or bopped me on the shoulder.

Every time Australia scored a goal, I twisted in my seat and whacked Michael’s bent knees behind me.

He never stopped smiling.

I never stopped grinning.

The Silver Ferns won. But I was just sad the game was over.

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