The Betrayal of Bindy Mackenzie (2 page)
Read The Betrayal of Bindy Mackenzie Online
Authors: Jaclyn Moriarty
The Philosophical Musings of Bindy Mackenzie
3.08
pm
Bindy, stop your reverie! Chew on a carob-coated energy drop and turn to your homework at once. Even if you just get five min.
The Philosophical Musings of Bindy Mackenzie
3.10pm
Oh, who am I trying to fool? My entire study period has been wasted. It seems to me that my entire career at Ashbury has also been wasted! I have been so helpful to my fellow students: I've offered free, private tutoring! I've offered lunchtime seminars for troubled teens! I
realise
that my academic record may be intimidating, so I wear multi-coloured nail polish to show that I'm approachableâa free spirit! I hang little sprigs of tinsel from my spectacle frames each December! I know the birthday of every person in my rollcall class, and I
always
lead the class in Happy Birthday!
The Philosophical Musings of Bindy Mackenzie
3.12
pm
Secretly, I admit, I find many of my classmates annoying. I've often thought to myself, âGood grief, these people are five-year-olds. Why must I spend my days amongst them?' But have I ever
said
such things aloud? No. I have been nothing but generous to them, and have kept these thoughts to myself.
And how have they repaid me? Have they been grateful or kind? Ho NO!
The Philosophical Musings of Bindy Mackenzie
3.14
pm
They have leapt at the chance to
attack
me! Perhaps the following crossed their minds: âHere is a sheet of paper with Bindy's name in the centre. Shall we write something complimentary?' But the answer came at once: âWhy no, let us write vicious comments! Let us be the Venomous Seven!
âWhat do we care for
her
feelings?'
The Philosophical Musings of Bindy Mackenzie
3.16pm
What, indeed?
The Philosophical Musings of Bindy Mackenzie
3.17pm
Well!
The Philosophical Musings of Bindy Mackenzie
3.18
pm
It has come to this.
A decision has been made.
Pay heed, Venomous Seven! You thought that I was bad before?
Wait until you see what I can be.
You think that your words are incisive and cruel? Wait until
I
speak my mind.
You had your chance with benevolent Bindy.
Ruthless Bindy just arrived.
Â
Night Time Musings of Bindy Mackenzie
Thursday, 2.47 am
My strategy is simple. First, I will contact the highest authority and expose the travesty, nay the crime, of Friendship and Development. Second, I will decipher the true nature of each of the Venomous Seven, and will hold up a mirror to their souls. (The blood-curdling screams that will follow!) (It will do them good.) Third, I will attend the next Friendship and Development class and
I will speak the truth.
Words that have been left unsaid throughout my life will
roll like a rich red carpet from my tongue
!
I can scarcely wait.
They all disguised their handwriting but I know who wrote that I talk like a horse. Me? The girl who had voice training between the ages of seven and eleven? Third speaker on the debating team?
A volunteer at the Schools Spectacular each year!
The girl who approaches those who seem distressed, and offers a shoulder to cry upon! (An offer rarely taken up, I admit, but never once made in the voice of a horse.)
This is surely a joke or a bad dream!
I have known him since infants school, and he always elevates his âr's when he joins them to âs's (so that âhorse' looks almost like âhotse').
His name is Toby Mazzerati.
Toby Mazzerati is a cane toad. But here is what I wrote (generously) under his name today:
I admire Toby. He has struggled academically (and perhaps with his weight) over the years, but has found his niche in woodwork. He likes to keep up a low-voiced commentary on life, so perhaps he has a future in radio?
Here is what I ought to have written:
Toby Mazzerati should die.
Â
Bindy Mackenzie
24 Clipping Drive, Kellyville, NSW 2155
The Director
Office of the Board of Studies, NSW
Dear Sir (or Madam),
I am a student at Ashbury High, the finest school in Sydney's windswept Hills District.
Or, at least, it
was
the finest school.
It is my odious duty to inform you that the Ashbury gleam has been tarnished. Nay, I will go a step further: this year, the gleam is
gone.
This year, Ashbury (in all its wisdom) has decided to offer a Year 11 âself-awareness' course entitled âFriendship and Development'. (Also known as âFAD'.) (You need not hear my views on the acronym.)
As you no doubt know, this course is not listed on the Board of Studies website. Indeed, it seems that the course does not exist. It is an â
experimental
course'. It will take up an hour of my time each week but
it will not count towards assessment.
Well!
As a student embarking on the stormy seas of her final two years of high school; as a student determined, with all due modesty, to achieve the best marks in the state;
nay, as a student who believes with all her heart that this year will determine her WHOLE LIFE,
I write to express my concerns.
Sir (or Madam), what can be done to save Ashbury?
I am enclosing a Report which I have just prepared, describing the first session of FAD. It took place yesterdayâ Wednesday. It is now the next day. Several hours have passed. I have tried to be accurate in my report, but I may have forgotten some details.
I thank you in advance and I remain:
Bindy Mackenzie
PS Please note that the address printed on this stationery is no longer current. I have just moved in with my Aunt Veronica and Uncle Jake (for reasons which do not concern you). I'll write my new address on the back of this page.
PPS A note of caution! I assume you do not wish to be offended. I have therefore removed the disgraceful language spoken by my fellow students. I've replaced this language with words of my own choosingâthese words appear in small capitals
LIKE THIS.
Report on âFriendship and Development' prepared for the Office of the Board of Studies, NSW
by Bindy Mackenzie
Session 1
The session took place in the storage room at the back of the gymnasium.
I could not believe this either.
But there it was, on my timetable: STORAGE ROOM, GYMNASIUM.
When I arrived, five other students were already there but not the teacher. These five students had each unstacked a chair for him or herself.
The chairs are straight-backed with curved iron legs, and are impossible simply to sit in. So:
| ⢠| Briony Atkins (round face, blinking eyes) was tipping her chair back and forth, each time tipping further as if tempting the chair to crash; |
| ⢠| Sergio Saba (dark hair, burn scar on cheek) had turned his chair around and was straddling it, his arms embracing the chair-back; |
| ⢠| Toby Mazzerati (cane toad) was hunched forward, legs wide apart, hands dangling between his knees; |
| ⢠| Astrid Bexonville (green slanting eyes, black hair in high ponytail) had her legs folded beneath her and was chatting with: |
| ⢠| Emily Thompson (drama queen), whose feet were resting on the bars of Astrid's chair. |
