Chapter One The Beach Share House 2013
Old South Head Road I love playing with my dog Jake I thought but now I'm going to study at the University of Sydney and I'm going to live hours away from here in the big city how am I going to live without Jake I was in my room in the Country Town of Wagga Wagga with my backpack on the bed in front of me I slowly put my last shirt into my backpack and then I was ready to leave for the train station just then there was a phone call mom answered it fine she called I didn't want to talk to Marge hello Auntie I said when I got to the phone Chrissy she cried I don't like the name Chrissy that's a girl's name my name is Chris you're coming to Sydney your mother says you can come and live with me I have two rooms and I live near the university what do you think
well thanks, Auntie Marge but I'm staying at a friend's house when I arrive I said quickly it wasn't true can I call you next week of course I'm very excited about your visit I wasn't excited I wanted to meet girls and go drinking in Sydney I didn't want to visit my auntie
at the train station, my mum cried when I said goodbye bye mate don't forget to go to Bondi Beach the beautiful girls all go there my big brother Mike said I said goodbye to them and to my dog Jake then I got on the train I was ready for my new life in Sydney
Sydney was big there were a lot more people there than in Wagga Wagga I took a taxi to Bondi Beach what a beautiful place there were a lot of nice girls on the beach too I wanted to live there I soon found a Backpackers by the beach for the night the next morning I began looking for my new home in Bondi I bought a newspaper and looked at the ads but the flats in Bondi were very expensive I needed a share house I soon found an interesting ad it said
near the beach two young guys with a shared house are looking for a third guy for 120 dollars a week call Josh on 1234-5678 I rang the number at once hi mate I said I saw your ad in the newspaper I'm looking for a shared house my name's Chris hello I'm Josh well you can move in here with Eddie and me a 2013 Old South Head Road so I went to meet Josh and Addie
their flat was really nice they had a big television in the front room and they were nice guys too I'm going to study at the University I said are you students no I might smile Josh we work sometimes but not often laughed Addie we like surfing meeting girls and drinking with our friends Josh and Addie gave me the biggest room from my window I could see the beach that night Josh Addy and I went out to a pub I met lots of their friends and drank lots of beer at the pub Josh talked quietly with one of his friends Rodney can you do some work for me later tonight asked Rodney what are you two talking about I asked are nothing mate said Josh we all had a good night I think Josh Addy and I left the pub and went back to the Share House very late
I went to bed at once and I don't remember very much of the night because of all the beer the next morning I was in bed when I heard a noise at the front door someone knocked again and again and two people called hello there open up the noise didn't stop so I went to the front door and opened it. it was the police ah Joshua Warnick or Adrian Hughes here
one of the police officers asked me yes they were I said come in Josh and Addie came out and spoke to the police I went quickly back to my room sat next to my door and listened
are you boy stealing things again one of the police officers asked of course not Josh answered I thought no that can't be true
Josh and Addie are nice guys but then I thought again wait a minute at the pub Rodney and Josh talked about doing some work later that night oh no Josh and Addie aren't nice guys they're stealing things from people's houses we'd like to look through your flat one
of the police officers said do you have a search warrant Josh asked yes we do the police officer said wait here the police went into Josh's and Eddie's rooms then one of the officers came into my room he looked under the bed here and there and went out again I went after him into the front room
what's happening I asked the police standing with bags in their hands in the bags there were expensive watches mobile phones and money I looked at Josh and Addie sorry mate said Josh then he spoke to the police Chris is new in Sydney he moved in with us yesterday he said
he knows nothing about all this so the police took Josh and Addie away in the police car and because I didn't have the money to live there alone that was the end of the sharehouse in Old South Head Road where could I Live Now
Chapter Two The Zoo Share House 618 Edward Street
I went back to the Backpackers that
night the next morning I went to the uni that's short for University in Australian English
I felt very excited I love learning new things and I wanted to learn about Aboriginal languages there are lots of them Mom and dad lived with the Aborigines in the Northern Territory before I was born that's in the north of Australia and lots of Aborigines live there
Mom and Dad told me lots of interesting stories about them when I was young on my first day of uni I met all the students and we talked
we didn't have classes I met a nice guy Fabio from Italy he spoke English well I'm looking for a shared house I told him we went to the uni Cafe and looked at sharehouse ads there
here's a great ad said Fabio it was for a house with a garden and only one man lived there I'm looking for a student to live with me said the ad I called at once his name's Bruce and I'm meeting him tonight I told Fabio after uni I ate dinner at the Backpackers then I walked to Bruce's house it was big and beautiful
I knocked on the front door and waited after some time Bruce opened the door was a 40-year-old man came in he said he looked very carefully at my shirt do you always wear old shirts he asked before I could answer he suddenly said and where did you get those dirty shoes then he smiled and said would you like some wine do you have Coke or beer I asked he left the room and I sat and waited there were lots of art books and pictures in the room when Bruce came back he had a bottle of
wine in his hand he gave me some but I didn't drink it what do you think of Picasso's work he asked who's he I asked don't you know
he said he looked angry what work do you do
I asked quickly I wanted to talk about something different I teach art at the University of Sydney suddenly he looked at his watch is that the time he said he stood up and walked to the door I'm sorry Chris but more people are coming to see my house tonight
don't call me I can call you he said he opened the door and I walked out he didn't like me was it because I didn't know much about art or I didn't drink wine or perhaps he wanted a housemate with
more expensive shoes and shirts that night Mum called me on my mobile phone hello did you find a share saying the Backpackers tonight again can I call you tomorrow I didn't want to tell Mum about Josh and Addie
the next day I saw a new ad in the uni Cafe
looking for a share house do you like animals
please call Cara on 1234-5678 I thought about my dog Jake perhaps Cara has a dog I said
that afternoon I called her after I left uni I went to meet her at her house and there I met her dog Toby he was great Cara knew a lot about animals because she worked at Taronga Park Zoo her house was nice and my room was big
well do you want to move in she asked
I moved my things from the Backpackers that night I played with Toby for some time in the
garden after that I felt tired so I went to bed
the next day I called Mum I told her my new address when we finished talking I ate my breakfast suddenly I felt something on my leg under the table what was it I looked under the table what I cried there on my leg was a big lizard I hate lizards Cara ran into the room what's the matter she asked I looked down at the lizard on my leg what's that I cried ah it's only Bessie she's a blue tongue lizard take it away I cried hey don't make all that noise Bessie's afraid now and all she wanted was to be your friend Cara said she took the lizard in her hands and put it into a box I ran into my room and closed the door behind me
then I saw them there were two more lizards on my bed I took my backpack and all my things and I ran out of the house from the front door Cara called Chris come back don't be afraid they're only lizards but I couldn't go back
Chapter three a band of dirty housemates
223 Beach Road
I went back to the Backpackers again the next morning I met Fabio at the uni Cafe I told him about Cara and the lizards so now I need a new Share House I said just then two girls arrived and said hello these are my friends Lisa and Karen said Fabio the three of us play music in a band Fabio's the singer said Lisa do you want to be an art band asked Karen we want someone to play the guitar Lisa said look I love music but I can't play the guitar I'm sorry Chris is looking for a share house Fabio said hey a housemate Susan is going to Europe today said Karen you can have her room okay I said but then I thought of something wait a minute do you have any animals I asked no I only asked Lisa and Karen said and they laughed okay but do you steal things no we don't the two of them cried do you have any more questions Mr Karen one more yes can I move in today after five o'clock this afternoon okay said Karen Lisa wrote their address on my hand and they said goodbye thanks Fabio I said you're a good friend then we went into class when I arrived at the Backpackers I found three boxes from mum there for me I opened them quickly but they were only things to eat what does mum think there aren't any supermarkets in Sydney I couldn't carry the boxes and my backpack so I called Fabio can you help me move my things I asked yes of course said Fabio when we arrived I looked carefully at Lisa and Karen's house it's very dirty I said oh don't worry about that said Fabio that Susan Fabio and I put my backpack and boxes on the bed in Susan's old room I was tired it was only six o'clock in the evening but I wanted to sleep I said good night to Fabio and went to bed after only a short time I heard a noise is someone knocking on the door I thought I went to the front door and opened it but there was no one there
then I went into the front room Karen Lisa and Fabio were there hello Chris we're playing music do you want to listen no thanks I said I'm going to bed I went to bed but they didn't stop playing and I could hear the music all
night, in the end, I went to sleep the next morning I got up at six o'clock Lisa was in the kitchen before me do you want some breakfast she asked she gets up early I thought then she said good night Chris and went to bed Fabio didn't come to class that day perhaps he went to bed at six in the morning too after class I felt happy I'm not going back to the Backpackers I thought but when I arrived in my street I could hear the girl's music foreign the front door there was lots of smoke in the house oh no it's a fire I thought at first but I was wrong it was cigarette smoke lots of it
I hate cigarettes I opened all the windows and went to my room I called Auntie Marge
can I come for dinner this weekend I asked
every day when I came home there was cigarette smoke everywhere in the kitchen there were lots of rubbish bags and there were lots of empty wine bottles only I took them out after a week of this I was angry I spoke to the girl Lisa Karen you girls never do any cleaning I said angrily sorry Chris but we can change
from tomorrow we're going to clean every day Karen said and can you play your music in the day take the rubbish out and stop smoking all the time I said okay Lisa said the next evening I didn't hear any music when I arrived in the street when I opened the front door there wasn't any cigarette smoke I opened the kitchen door there were no rubbish bags in front of me I smiled the next week was good
but then the music began at night again and I couldn't sleep the cigarette smoke was bad again and the house was dirty again too
one night I felt hungry I went into the kitchen but the cigarette smoke came in through the kitchen door I closed it and then I saw them there behind the door were all the rubbish bags from that week So Lisa and Karen didn't take the bags out they put them behind the kitchen door I cried the bags had lots of maggots all over them I can't live with maggots I said and I
left that night.
Chapter Four all nice and clean
Five Eight Barrel Street After one more night at the Backpackers I found Shan Wen's ad at the supermarket
I always went there to shop and she worked there we usually said hello
this time I asked lots of questions when I went to see the house
do you have any pets no said Shan Wen
do you take out the rubbish every night oh yes of course she answered
I didn't ask about stealing things Shan Wen was nice and her house was very
clean she doesn't steal I thought
can you teach me some Chinese I asked I wanted to learn Chinese because one day
I wanted to visit China okay said Shanwin
can I move in today I asked I'm going to think about it
can I call you this afternoon at three o'clock he said
my mobile phone rang at one minute to three
hello I said hi Chris it's Sean Wen here
I moved my things and then went to the uni Pub my friends were there
I had lots of drinks and then I got the bus to my new home
there was no uni the next day it was a weekend so I slept late
when I got up it was 10 o'clock I sat down and watched TV
I like watching different bands play on Saturday morning TV
but I couldn't hear anything because just then Shan Wen came into the room
with the vacuum cleaner
cleaning floor I asked not long after she said
after some time she finished
now I could hear the music again but then she began cleaning the TV and the
chairs and the table this time I couldn't see the TV because
she was in front of it why are you cleaning I asked
because everything's dirty she said
I don't understand her I thought the house was clean
there isn't any rubbish and there aren't any maggots what's wrong with her
I went to my room and listened to the radio there then my brother rang
hi Mike how are you I said good night
listen I'm coming to Sydney in two weeks can I stay with you
of course, you can stay and you can meet my new housemate
we can have a barbecue the next two weeks went very fast
I studied a lot and I went to a pub most nights with my mates
I liked Sydney I met my brother at the train station
and we walked through the city he loved Sydney too
when we arrived home Shan Wen was there with the vacuum cleaner
after she finished cleaning she went and had a shower
she had four or five showers every day
we got the meat from the kitchen for the barbecue then Mike told me about life in Wagga
Wagga after her shower Shan Wen came to talk
to us but she left very quickly she looked ill
I went after her what's the matter I asked
I don't like meat please take it away
she said sorry Mike no barbecue tonight
I said to my brother Mike and I went to the local pub for
dinner the next day I said goodbye to Mike and
went to dinner with Auntie Marge she made me bangers and mash
that's Australian for sausages and potatoes
I love it and she knows that we had a good dinner
Auntie Marge isn't bad I thought on the bus going home
when I arrived Shan Wen said can I talk to you
she's angry about the meat I thought
she handed me a paper and said from tomorrow I want you to do these
things in my house I read the paper
it said please clean your room every day
please don't bring meat beer wine or your friends or family into
the house please don't watch TV when I'm cleaning
please don't wear shoes in the house
please don't come home after nine o'clock in the evening
this isn't going to be easy I thought
but I didn't want to move back to the Backpackers again
okay Shan Wen I said I can do all this I think
oh but perhaps it's going to be difficult for you
perhaps you want to find a different Share House
she said then I understood she didn't want me to stay
am I the problem this time I thought
I didn't have uni the next morning so I went to an Internet cafe
there I looked for a new Share House on the internet
Chapter five girlfriend and boyfriend
613 Fletcher Street
there were a lot of sharehouses in Bondi on the internet
could I find the right one for me then I saw a sharehouse ad with a photo
she's beautiful I thought non-smoker young uni student
looking for a second young non-smoker uni student
girl or guy 150 a week
call Sonia 0123-456 -789
we met that afternoon Sonia asked me lots of questions and we
spoke for a long time we talked about our uni classes and our
interests we didn't want to stop I moved in that afternoon
I think I'm going to live here for a long time I thought and I put my bags on
my new bed foreign
TS went very quickly after uni I went home to study
but I didn't do much studying I usually ate dinner with Sonia
after dinner, we usually drank a bottle of wine and we talked for a long time
about everything but soon I had exams
this week I must study a lot I told her
me too she said but that week wasn't any different
most nights after dinner and some wine we wanted to talk
we didn't want to study I liked Sonia a lot
perhaps she likes me too I thought foreign
it was the last day of the first semester June 28
it was Sonia's birthday too I finished my last exam
it was difficult but I did okay I think
I went to the shops to buy Sonia a video Life is Beautiful
then I went home to make her a birthday cake
when I heard her open the front door I sang Happy Birthday
I gave her the cake and she looked very happy
after dinner and a bottle of wine I said shall we watch this video
I gave Life is Beautiful to her she looked at it but she didn't answer
me what's the matter I asked
are you okay thank you but
I can't watch a video tonight my my boyfriend's coming home
just then there was a knock at the door I couldn't move
Sonia went and opened the door
a man walked in goth Sonia
they kissed and hugged for a long time I went to my room
I felt angry why didn't she tell me about her
boyfriend I couldn't sleep
I could hear them in Sonia's room they talked and laughed very noisily
the next morning I was very angry but I didn't want to talk to Sonia in front of
Garth I'm going to buy a newspaper Garth said from Sonia's room
then I heard the front door open and close
I ran out of my room
about him how long is he staying I asked very quickly
I wanted to tell you but Irene biologist
buddies whales he's often away he's going back up north to the Great
Barrier Reef in two weeks the next two days were bad
I talked to Garth but he didn't answer
was very quiet too I couldn't stay in the house with them
it was the uni holidays so I went home to Wagga Wagga
I had a great time I played with Jake and drank beer with
my brother and my old friends but I thought about Sonia a lot
soon it was time to go back to Sydney is Garth going to be there I thought
I opened the front door I couldn't hear anything
no nobody was home I looked in Sonia's room
Garth's bags weren't there I felt happy again
I made dinner for Sonia and waited
when she arrived home she was happy to see me
we talked ate dinner and laughed soon it was past 12 o'clock at night
we were tired let's go to bed
she said okay good night I said
I went to my room then I stopped and thought
does she want me to go to her room no she's got a boyfriend
I opened my door her door was open
Sonja, I called when is Garth coming back here
in about four weeks I think she answered
oh no I thought I loved Sonia but she loves Garth
why is life always difficult for me good night Sonia
I said and I went back into my room and closed
the door I don't want to go back to the
Backpackers I thought and then I went to sleep thank you
Chapter six
home again 263 Pitt Street
the next morning I rang Auntie Marge
can I stay at your house for two or three days I said of course Yen are you coming
I wanted to leave Sonia's house quickly before I kissed her by accident
of course, I didn't tell Marge that I said can I come now
what could I say to Sonia in the end I said
goodbye Sonia I'm going to stay with my auntie Marge
Sonia began crying and she hugged me at the front door please stay
you said I love you what did you say
I asked her quickly nothing you must go
Your auntie's waiting for you
the two of us cried then I looked down and walked away
I didn't look back I didn't want Sonia to see me crying
I didn't want to go to Marge's with red eyes so I went to a cafe on the beach
I sat and thought am I doing the right thing
then I had a coffee and I felt better
Auntie Marge was very happy to see me she was in the front garden when I
arrived I put my bags in my room and we had a
Coke I didn't like Marge's house it was an
old woman's house there were dolls everywhere
she collected clocks too they were in every room of the house
I didn't like that we talked all afternoon
we looked at photos of My Brother and Me from when we were children
she told me about her life when she was young I was a crazy hippie then
she said look at this she gave me an old photo
she was in long pants with flowers on them she was on the beach with friends and
she had something in her hand it was a big cigarette I think
this was a very different anti-mage for me
Marge made me dinner and to finish we ate some of her apple cake
it's famous in our family and it was great
I slept very well in my bed at Auntie Marge's house that night thank you
the next day after uni I went to the uni pub with Fabio and he talked about his
holidays I went on a surfing holiday for 10 days
and I had a great time he said I met people from lots of different
countries I fell in love with Mika
a girl from Japan who lives in Brisbane
so I want to move there then I told Fabio about Sonia and her
boyfriend Garth Fabio said you did the right thing
that night I got home late Auntie Marge was in bed
I was very quiet but she heard me and came out of her room
going to be angry I thought but she wasn't
she said hi Chrissy your dinner's on the table
I like staying here I thought Marge I said
yes Chrissy can my friends visit here sometimes
of course, she said but you must do the cleaning sometimes
can I drink beer are you going to give me some too
I love it she laughed perhaps living with Marge is the best
thing to do I thought perhaps Auntie Marge was going to be the
the best housemate for me she didn't steal I knew that
she cleaned but not all the time and my friends could visit me when they
wanted we could drink beer and eat meat here
too there weren't any lizards and Auntie Marge liked watching The
Cricket on TV so I could watch it with her
I couldn't forget about the dolls the clocks and her calling me Chrissy all
the time but I could live with those small things
can I stay here for a long time I asked
of course, she said it can be difficult to find good
housemates I know yes very difficult
did you live in a shared house when you were younger I asked
of course, she said first I lived with your mum but then she
fell in love with your dad and moved in with him did you live with Mom what did you do
I told you we were crazy hippies we were
students at the time but we didn't study much she gave me a photo to look at
and who did you live with after mum I asked
I moved into a big share house with six people
but I only stayed there for three months because the building was very old
I couldn't have a shower or make dinner there he said
and what did you do when you left that house I asked
then I fell in love with a young man how did you meet him I asked quickly
so Auntie Marge liked men when she was younger
I didn't know that she always said bad things about them
his name was Sam he was from South Africa
and he was beautiful were your housemates
I asked yes I moved in with Sam and his mate Beck
but soon after I moved in Beck moved out to Canberra
she went there to be a school teacher she met a nice boy in Canberra and they
had lots of children and what happened with Sam did you live
with him for a long time well we lived in Sydney for two years
but he missed his family he wanted to go back home
she said so he left yes
but I wanted to be with him so I went with him to Durban in the South
Africa, I loved his family his sister and father
and I watched cricket every day did you like South Africa I asked
I loved it but I missed Sydney I couldn't get work in Durban and it was
very far from here and very expensive to come back home for holidays
did you come back to Australia alone I asked yes I did
did I do the right thing I don't know
Sam wanted me to stay but she began and then she stopped
she didn't look very happy do you speak with Sam these days I asked
no, but after 25 years I love him to this
day she said and she looked down I was quiet
what could I say in the end Marge spoke
Oh I forgot these are for you
she gave me some flowers and a letter they arrived this afternoon
for me who are they from I don't know Chrissy
read the letter I quickly went to my room and opened it
I began reading hi Chris
I'm very sorry I didn't tell you about Garth
I rang him when you left I told him everything
I love Chris and I want to be with him I said
Garth was very angry and I feel bad about it
but it's true I love you please call me
love Sonia
I came out of my room who is the letter from asked Auntie Marge
oh only one of my old housemates I said
Oh I see Marge I said
Sam's important to you you must write to him in South Africa
perhaps you're right Auntie Marge said and she smiled
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