Prime Time 5, Coursebook mit Audio-CD

Text: Angela 1 Reading: Why did I have to say that?! Read the following extract from the novel Angela by James Moloney. 7–8 heard Gracey’s angry voice. “No, I’m not going to move!” she said hotly. A girl in a black skirt and white blouse was standing in front of her now. As I came closer, I could see that this was no girl. The swept-back hair and confident stance spelt manager. I guessed what was happening right away. This was an exclusive jewellery store and Gracey didn’t exactly look the part. I hurried to Gracey. “It’s all right,” I said. “She’s with me.” A handful of words, but I regret them now as much as anything I have ever said. Suddenly, Gracey forgot the manager and turned to me instead. “What did you say?” she began incredulously. Her surprise quickly turned to rage. “I don’t need you here so I can stand at the door of a fucking jewellery shop! Who do you think you are?! ‘She’s with me.’ And that makes it all right, does it? Doesn’t matter if I’m black as long as there’s a friendly white girl nearby to speak for me. Is that the way you see it, Angela? You don’t want me to get lumped in with the other blacks around the place, the ones that don’t count for anything, the ones that have no right to stand around in the mall by themselves.” There were people stopping to look now. Gracey’s angry voice had drawn a crowd, and the people formed a semicircle around us as if we were buskers. “That’s not what I meant,” I managed to say when Gracey paused for breath. But she was just getting started. “Yes, it was. You don’t even realise it yourself. Just like Tom and Cheryl, like mother like daughter. Generous as can be on your own terms. ‘Come for dinner.’ ‘Have a coffee, I’m buying.’ It’s all part of your power over me, isn’t it?” I was angry. And how could she just talk so badly about my parents? It wasn’t right. “That’s not fair, Gracey, and you know it! Mum and Dad have always been good to you. So have I,” I added, suddenly in tears. 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 Until recently, Angela and Gracey were best friends. Gracey is part-Aboriginal and from a poor background; Angela is from a rich white family in Brisbane. Since Gracey has found politically active Aboriginal friends at university, she has started to see Angela as one of the whites who treat Aboriginals badly. Now the two girls are waiting for Gracey’s new friends at a mall before they all attend a rally for the Aboriginal cause. Angela wants to attend, too. The scene is told from her point of view. It felt great to be in the mall with Gracey again as we made our way through the buskers and the shoppers. There was always a buzz about the place, so many people, from slobs in thongs and footy shorts to girls who thought they were strutting the catwalk. I was enjoying the sensation and didn’t notice her mood. I was going to pay for my negligence, but didn’t know that yet … “Hey, remember that coffee shop I fell in love with?” I called to Gracey. She didn’t answer and I thought maybe she was trying to remember its name. “We always went in there just for the smell. Listen: After the rally is over, I’ll buy you a short black to celebrate.” “Yeah, if you want to,” she said quietly, and still I didn’t see what was happening, didn’t realise how on edge she was. We arrived at the Information Booth on time but there was no sign of Shirley orWendy. I didn’t notice how nervous Gracey was. “Look, Mum wants me to pick up her watch from a place just a few doors down. Come on. We’ll do that while we’re waiting.” She slouched off after me, hands in the overalls she had worn to the public meeting the other day. It was only a few steps to the jewellery store. When she hesitated at the entrance and looked back towards the Information Booth, I said, “You wait here. I won’t be long.” And I wasn’t. It only took three minutes to get the watch and sign for it before I turned around to leave. But as I got close to the door, I 5 10 15 20 25 30 34 Australia 3 Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv