On Smith Street and Short Stories in the Digi-Social World
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On Smith Street and Short Stories in the Digi-Social World Lynette Washington A short story collection and exegesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Creative Writing Discipline of English and Creative Writing School of Humanities University of Adelaide April 2016 Volume 1: On Smith Street Lynette Washington A short story collection submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Creative Writing Discipline of English and Creative Writing School of Humanities University of Adelaide April 2016 1 Declaration I certify that this work contains no material which has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma in my name, in any university or other tertiary institution and, to the best of my knowledge and belief, contains no material previously published or written by another person, except where due reference has been made in the text. In addition, I certify that no part of this work will, in the future, be used in a submission in my name, for any other degree or diploma in any university or other tertiary institution without the prior approval of the University of Adelaide and where applicable, any partner institution responsible for the joint-award of this degree. I give consent to this copy of my thesis, when deposited in the University Library, being made available for loan and photocopying, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. I also give permission for the digital version of my thesis to be made available on the web, via the University’s digital research repository, the Library Search and also through web search engines, unless permission has been granted by the University to restrict access for a period of time. In the case of On Smith Street, there will be a 3 year embargo. Lynette Washington April 2016 2 On Smith Street Connected Short Stories Lynette Washington 3 ‘Yet high over the city our line of yellow windows must have contributed their share of human secrecy to the casual watcher in the darkening streets, and I was him too, looking up and wondering. I was within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life.’ The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald 4 Table of Contents Number 40: Secrets and Plane Trees ...................................................................................... 8 Number 10/2: How to Disappear Incompletely ...................................................................... 9 Number 40: Smoke and Broccoli ........................................................................................... 13 Number 5/2: Hermit Crabs .................................................................................................... 16 Number 4: Dear Diary ........................................................................................................... 22 Number 40: Patchwork ......................................................................................................... 26 Number 84: Sunlight Slippery Dip ......................................................................................... 28 Number 1/2: Everything’s Turning to White ......................................................................... 30 Number 19: Lia and Amos ..................................................................................................... 33 Number 40: Cat food and snappyhappy stories .................................................................... 37 Number 7/1: Jesus and the Tsunami ..................................................................................... 40 Number 16: Tim and Alice–The Rider.................................................................................... 44 Number 6/2: Housing Needs Assessment ............................................................................. 48 Number 8/1: Community Radio ............................................................................................ 54 Number 12/1: Becca’s Red Dress .......................................................................................... 62 Number 40: All These Hours ................................................................................................. 65 Number 18/1: I Go To Rio ..................................................................................................... 71 Number 16: Tim and Alice–Reruns ........................................................................................ 75 Number 640 South Road: The Theatre .................................................................................. 78 Number 4/1: Lists .................................................................................................................. 86 Number 7 and Number 21: Scarlett’s Shed ........................................................................... 91 Number 3/1: Promise ............................................................................................................ 97 Number 9/1: Ferris Bueller, James Stewart and Buddha..................................................... 100 Number 90: Kind of Blue: Doug ........................................................................................... 104 Number 40: Milk Cup .......................................................................................................... 106 Number 25: He Said/She Said ............................................................................................. 107 Number 12/2: Into the Rain ................................................................................................ 109 5 Number 638 South Road: The Bedside Cinema ................................................................... 112 Number 16: Tim and Alice–Fast Forward ............................................................................ 116 Number 91: Four Forgotten Objects ................................................................................... 118 Number 90: Kind of Blue: Florence ..................................................................................... 125 The Park: Faraj .................................................................................................................... 128 Number 16: Alice–Play ........................................................................................................ 132 Nummer 44 Kiefernweg: Telgte Tiddas ............................................................................... 135 Number 68: Need ................................................................................................................ 144 Number 90: Kind of Blue–Florence ..................................................................................... 149 Number 40: Retreat ............................................................................................................ 152 Number 78: Lottery ............................................................................................................. 158 Suite 5, Bundaberg City Motel: Tim..................................................................................... 162 Number 65: How’s Your Roof? ............................................................................................ 165 Number 90: Kind of Blue–Gloria ......................................................................................... 169 Number 97 & 95: Jeremiah the Cat ..................................................................................... 172 Number 98: Gaps Between Boxes ....................................................................................... 177 Number 40: The Exhibition ................................................................................................. 183 Number 5/1: Car Park Job ................................................................................................... 189 Number 48: The Support Group .......................................................................................... 193 Number 40: After ................................................................................................................ 197 Number 77: Thicker Than .................................................................................................... 200 Number 8: Oma’s Fruit Cake ............................................................................................... 204 Number 73: So Much Sand and So Much Water ................................................................. 207 Number 40: Compartments and Venn Diagrams ................................................................ 211 Number 15: Leaving ............................................................................................................ 214 Number 28: An Opera in My Shed ...................................................................................... 217 Casuarina National Park: The Swarm .................................................................................. 223 Number 67: North Atlantic Farewell ................................................................................... 225 6 Number 90: Kind of Blue–Florence ..................................................................................... 232 Number 40: Tea Cups .......................................................................................................... 234 Number 28: Saturday Night and Sunday Morning .............................................................. 237 Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................. 244 7 Number 40: Secrets and