Birdseye, by Maire Fisher

Birdseye, by Maire Fisher. Random House Struik Umuzi. Cape Town, South Africa 2014. ISBN 9781415207048 / ISBN 978-1-4152-0704-82

Maire Fisher has mentioned parallels in real life while writing the novel Birdseye that made her stop writing. In residential writing retreat at The Grail in Kleinmond, she found a safe haven in which the story could develop to its end.

Maire Fisher  

[...] Orville heard a light step in the hall behind. The woman moved aside and Annie slipped through. 'Hello, Orville.' Her voice was easy, calm. 'Shall we go?' She tucked her arm into Orville's and led him down the steps. 'What time will you be back?''We won't be late, Mother.' The door closed behind them. 'That was your mother?' Orville asked. 'She didn't seem happy to see me.' 'Oh, don't worry about Mother,' Annie said. 'Her bark is worse than her bite.' Orville wasn't sure. Given the chance, she'd probably gobble him up silently, without bothering to bark. One gulp and he'd be gone. One burp and his shoes, watch and wallet would be deposited in a neat pile on the front step, a warning to anyone else foolish enough to brave courting the daughter of the house. Annie squeezed his arm. Where are we going, Orville?' There wasn't much to do on a Saturday afternoon in Harbiton. Orville had no car, not even a bicycle. 'I thought we could walk a while, maybe stop at the Hot Pot Cafe for a cup of tea.' Annie smiled. She was bright and quick and happy. Later she told Orville that if he'd suggested a trip to Mars, she would have gone with him. Annie and Orville never made it to the Hot Pot. They walked and talked the afternoon away. All the way along the beach to Lady's Seat, the large flat rock at the end of the beach, back up to Moonrise Circle and into the small park overlooking the harbour. The sea was a blue pond, framed by the misty line of the Hottentots-Holland Mountains. Orville told Annie about working in Mortons Photography Studio, getting fidgeting children to hold still, bribing beloved pets with doggie treats or catnip to look straight at the camera. 'I want my own place,' he told her, 'to be able to experiment, hold exhibitions' Annie talked about her job at Maddon's, on Beach Road, where she worked in ladies' wear. 'I started working there when I left school. Mainly to get out of the house. It was only going to be temporary, and look at me now. Six years down the line and still helping women decide whether they look better in pink or pale blue. They're so kind to me,' Annie said, and I love working there, even when some of the customers treat me like a nobody. But it's not what I want to do with the rest of my life.' She leaned back and stretched her arms high above her head. 'There's so much out there, Orville. I wish I could go and find it.' 'You can, Annie, we both can.' That afternoon, Orville learned the truth of all the expressions he had read and heard about love. He drank in Annie's blue-eyed beauty. He floated, lighter than air, through the hot golden hours. But people who float tend to land with a bump. A shock, then, when Annie looked at her watch and said they could go back to her house for tea. They hadn't mentioned her mother once, but now she was there, blocking their view of each other. Are you sure your mother ...?' He spoke carefully. 'Oh,' Annie's light dimmed. 'Of course. If you'd rather not?' Her hand slid from his. [...]

This is an excerpt from the novel: Birdseye, by Maire Fisher.

Title: Birdseye
Author: Maire Fisher
Genre: Novel
Publisher: Random House Struik
Imprint: Umuzi
Cape Town, South Africa 2014
ISBN 9781415207048 / ISBN 978-1-4152-0704-82
Softcover, 14 x 21 cm, 400 pages