their efficient and demanding lifestyles. They tolerated as little disruption from her as possible and juggled pick-ups and drop offs between their appointments and meetings.
Their house was tidy, their schedules were tidy, they took holidays in exotic locations where they would employ nannies and continue to work at their computers and make their long distance phone calls.
Joanne grew up socialising and communicating with successful, high achieving adults. Aim high, work hard and push open the doors of success for a happy and worthwhile life.
When Joanne reached her teenage years her mood swings and mild displays of rebellion were foreign territory to her family. It was decided the only logical solution was to dispatch her off to a nearby and exclusive Auckland boarding school. Here she could study, get through her “difficult” years and graduate without the distraction of boys in a co-educational school.
By now h er mother and father had, at least in their opinion, completed their parental duties and were ready to continue their busy, tidy lives without further interruption or conflict.
Their difficult daughter arrived at the gates of the strict , exclusive school wearing the latest fashion and trailing designer bags full of books and expensive cosmetics. Her mother had always hoped Joanne would make more of her looks.
Sandy, by contrast, was like a solitary exotic bird dancing her way through a world she considered too dull, too black, too white and too grey. Ideally, she would have been comfortable spending her teenage years in the 1960’s, fitting into a family that thrived on art, music, marijuana and large helpings of rock and roll.
As if a cruel joke of nature, Sandy was born to conservative, strict and staunchly religious parents. They struggled to understand their only daughter. They dragged her kicking to church every Sunday. They consulted their priest and other parents in their congregation before they consulted numerous psychologists and medical professionals.
Sandy would not, could not , conform to any kind of “normal” that they had the ability to understand.
It was the final straw when a naked, pimple-covered youth fell while trying to negotiate the climb out of Sandy’s bedroom window late one evening. He hit the ground with a heavy thud, breaking his wrist and severing the final thin thread of trust between mother, father and wayward daughter.
Sandy was quickly packed off to boarding school in an effort to save her soul and what remained of her parent’s sanity.
Sandy remembered eyeing her new roommate with distaste. The tall, frigid blonde looked about as much fun as a mid-winter swim in the Pacific Ocean.
Joanne was serious and aloof, disinterested in socialising and committed to a rigid study routine. She was like an alien to Sandy with her obsessive battle to achieve straight A’s and her polite but minimal efforts to make conversation.
Was the person responsible for organizin g the dorms playing a joke? Sandy scowled at the slender, tall figure working diligently at the small desk, driving herself until she collapsed exhausted on her bed. Surely they didn’t think this boring creature would be a levelling and positive influence?
She imagined the interview room and her mother sniffing into a neat square of cotton. Red eyes pleading the Dean to provide answers, to mould her daughter into a person acceptable to her world, to provide structure and people that would lead by example.
Sandy’s eyes narrowed with suspicion. That tall wisp of a creature was the last thing she could or wanted to become.
Joanne didn’t have time or the interest to worry about her new room-mates icy attitude. She just accepted that was the way it would be.
She was here to graduate and was determined to do so with honours. She wasn’t particularly concerned about making friends or fitting in . Especially if fitting in
Their house was tidy, their schedules were tidy, they took holidays in exotic locations where they would employ nannies and continue to work at their computers and make their long distance phone calls.
Joanne grew up socialising and communicating with successful, high achieving adults. Aim high, work hard and push open the doors of success for a happy and worthwhile life.
When Joanne reached her teenage years her mood swings and mild displays of rebellion were foreign territory to her family. It was decided the only logical solution was to dispatch her off to a nearby and exclusive Auckland boarding school. Here she could study, get through her “difficult” years and graduate without the distraction of boys in a co-educational school.
By now h er mother and father had, at least in their opinion, completed their parental duties and were ready to continue their busy, tidy lives without further interruption or conflict.
Their difficult daughter arrived at the gates of the strict , exclusive school wearing the latest fashion and trailing designer bags full of books and expensive cosmetics. Her mother had always hoped Joanne would make more of her looks.
Sandy, by contrast, was like a solitary exotic bird dancing her way through a world she considered too dull, too black, too white and too grey. Ideally, she would have been comfortable spending her teenage years in the 1960’s, fitting into a family that thrived on art, music, marijuana and large helpings of rock and roll.
As if a cruel joke of nature, Sandy was born to conservative, strict and staunchly religious parents. They struggled to understand their only daughter. They dragged her kicking to church every Sunday. They consulted their priest and other parents in their congregation before they consulted numerous psychologists and medical professionals.
Sandy would not, could not , conform to any kind of “normal” that they had the ability to understand.
It was the final straw when a naked, pimple-covered youth fell while trying to negotiate the climb out of Sandy’s bedroom window late one evening. He hit the ground with a heavy thud, breaking his wrist and severing the final thin thread of trust between mother, father and wayward daughter.
Sandy was quickly packed off to boarding school in an effort to save her soul and what remained of her parent’s sanity.
Sandy remembered eyeing her new roommate with distaste. The tall, frigid blonde looked about as much fun as a mid-winter swim in the Pacific Ocean.
Joanne was serious and aloof, disinterested in socialising and committed to a rigid study routine. She was like an alien to Sandy with her obsessive battle to achieve straight A’s and her polite but minimal efforts to make conversation.
Was the person responsible for organizin g the dorms playing a joke? Sandy scowled at the slender, tall figure working diligently at the small desk, driving herself until she collapsed exhausted on her bed. Surely they didn’t think this boring creature would be a levelling and positive influence?
She imagined the interview room and her mother sniffing into a neat square of cotton. Red eyes pleading the Dean to provide answers, to mould her daughter into a person acceptable to her world, to provide structure and people that would lead by example.
Sandy’s eyes narrowed with suspicion. That tall wisp of a creature was the last thing she could or wanted to become.
Joanne didn’t have time or the interest to worry about her new room-mates icy attitude. She just accepted that was the way it would be.
She was here to graduate and was determined to do so with honours. She wasn’t particularly concerned about making friends or fitting in . Especially if fitting in
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