programme1

Getting with
'The Program'

Chapter 1

“I shouldn’t have been fool enough to bring my stupid mobile,” William muttered as he shoved his phone back into his jacket pocket.

“The Paper I assume?” Michael queried. “They want you back at work?”

“As always, “William sighed. “On top of everything else it appears that Craig has gone into hospital with acute appendicitis.”

“How very inconsiderate of him,” Michael answered dryly. “Doesn’t he appreciate that you’re at training?”

“Knowing it can’t be helped doesn’t make it less exasperating,” William replied with a grudging smile. “I feel as though I’ve let you down… having to miss the first two days to cover for Caroline after her skiing injury, and now this.”

“You know I appreciate that you could come at all, though over four-hundred kilometres seems a long way to travel for just two days,” Michael added, “there’s no-one else who could cover for him?”

“Not with our current staff shortages. I wish personnel would pull their finger out and just fill those vacant positions, I’m past caring who they employ, so long as someone is doing the work. No matter what the staffing situation though, I’ve made it abundantly clear that I will not be available for the entire period of the camp.”

“I have no concerns about that Will, you’ve not let me down in… how many years now?”

“This is my ninth,” William answered with a smile as he though back to his first year of involvement with The Program at the age of nineteen.

For William Darcy getting to know the underprivileged kids with whom The Program worked, had been a life changing experience. As the product of a very privileged and protected childhood – living in a wealthy suburb, attending the best schools, mixing with the ‘right’ people - he had grown up with a natural sense of his own superiority, viewing his own good fortune almost as a divine right, and taking for granted all he’d grown up with… but that was before he met Michael and the kids.

His first camp was an incredibly eye opening experience. Though he had never been encouraged to hold prejudices, it almost took him by surprise that these socially disadvantaged kids were, on the most part, interesting, intelligent and enthusiastic. He was amazed at their strengths, particularly after learning of the circumstances they often faced in their everyday lives, and he came away feeling quite humbled, full of youthful resolutions to readdress at least some of society’s inequities, and determined to make a difference in the world.

“You know that the only reason I became involved that first year was because Melissa had volunteered,” he laughed. “It’s almost funny that our romance didn’t even make it through the training week. Ah… young love!”

“Thankfully you relationship with The Program has lasted much longer,” Michael grinned. “Stayers such yourself are not easy to come by, and the work you’re now doing on the board in invaluable.”

"You know it’s a privilege to be involved." William smiled back, "You have a great work here Michael and the difference it makes to those kids is remarkable."

"So will you drive home this evening?" Michael asked, self-consciously turning the conversation from himself. The work he did was for love, not for recognition or praise.

"I wish it were as simple as that,” William groaned, “but I've promised Geoff, June and Sam a lift back to the city and I can't really ask them all to pack up a day early… so it might be best to leave them my car and to see if I can catch a train home."

“How did they get up here then?” Michael asked, thinking that there’d have to be a better way to get William home than over five hours on public transport.

“Sam’s brother dropped them here on his way to visit friends up north, and they’re definitely relying on me for the return journey.”

“Ah… it’d slipped my mind for a minute, but one of the trainees is heading home this afternoon and I'm sure she won't mind giving you a lift." Michael stepped out for a moment and sent someone off to chase up the potential transport, then settled down to talk with William about the current funding drive whist awaiting an answer.

They became so involved in the discussion, they’d almost forgotten they were expecting someone when the knock came. Michael stepped up and opened the door of his room, cum makeshift office.

"Liz, good of you to show up so quickly. How are things going now?"

To William listening in, his interest was a little sparked as Michael's question seemed rather purposeful, and not just casually polite. From where he sat he couldn’t see the girl Michael was speaking with, but he could clearly hear her exasperated reply.

"Not wonderfully Michael, it’s getting to the point where he's driving me insane! Every time I turn around he's there! - Are you sure you can't post either him or me to a different camp this year?"

"Sorry Liz, but it's a bit late in the picture for that. If I'd known there was a problem earlier..."

"Well, earlier I thought that I could handle him myself,” the girl cut in, “but the man simply can not take a hint! I obviously made a big mistake in assuming he might have half a brain!"

"Are you sure you've clearly let him know you're not interested?" asked Michael. "You're not unconsciously giving out hopeful signals are you? This wouldn’t be the first time your liveliness has given a young man the wrong impression."

"No Michael I’m not! …and don't try to put the blame in this on me! I swear if I even once smiled at him it was purely by accident. Honestly, I have never given him any form of encouragement, and believe me, I have taken every possible opportunity for discouragement. He's just too stupid to understand! The other day he overheard me mutter to Jane that he was sharp as a ball-bearing, and he thought it was a compliment!!"

Michael just laughed. "He's an extremely good looking young man though Liz. You'd make a handsome couple"

"Are you trying to make me physically ill?" groaned Liz. "You know his looks are half the problem. He's such a pretty boy,” her voice was clearly dripping with disdain, "that he finds it impossible to believe any female could think him anything but irresistible. Do you know what he told Janice about my refusal to date him?"

"I'm sure you're going to fill me in." Michael was obviously becoming increasingly amused at Liz's exasperated, but admittedly rather entertaining narration.

"He told her that I was repressed! Can you believe it?! - I don't want to go out with him and he puts it down to me having psychological hang-ups! The idea that it could be due to him being an odious, self absorbed, arrogant, mindless jerk doesn't even cross his tiny little mind - and that's not the worst of it... wait for it... he started lecturing Janice on her parental responsibilities! He told her she should insist that I go out with him, so he could help me overcome my problems with intimacy!"

Michael was laughing out loud by now. The picture of any young upstart trying to lecture Liz's step-mum was highly amusing. The lad must really be truly presumptuous to even attempt it. Janice was one of those rare human beings who managed to simply exude a quiet, but very real, authority and people with any sense tended not to question it.

"Well Michael, I'm glad my misfortunes are not all loss - you at least have found some enjoyment in them." Though her words might have seemed to contain censure, her tone was light and she didn't really sound at all offended. "So was that what you wanted to see me about?"

"Oh, I'd almost forgotten - come in. There's someone I'd like you to meet."

Michael stepped back, gestured for Liz to enter his office, and made the introductions. "William Darcy... Elizabeth Bennet, Liz… Will."

Elizabeth grimaced slightly as she realised her enthusiastic venting had not been in private. "Sorry, I didn't know anyone else was here."

"Think nothing of it," William smiled at her.

He had not spoken to the girl before but he had definitely noticed her, even amongst the hundreds of young volunteers at this year's training. She had the kind of looks that couldn't help but catch your eye; a fresh, very pretty face with a knockout smile, long dark curls, and an excellent figure, and now she was quite near he was even more taken with her eyes which were full of life and intelligence. For a moment he almost felt a little pity for her hapless suitor.

"William is the reason I was looking for you,” Michael continued. “He's needed back in the city by tomorrow but has to leave his car here for some friends. I was hoping that you wouldn't mind a passenger."

"I'd actually be grateful for some company,” she replied, a little relief evident in her tone. “Charlie was with me on the way up but she's travelling back with Bill. I wasn't really looking forward to such a long drive by myself."

"I'll admit to being surprised at your Dad agreeing to you taking such a long trip alone." Michael said candidly.

"Well… Janice intervened on my behalf and convinced him that I really needed the car. My only other alternative was to travel with Bill and you know how I’d feel about that! She even arranged my 'prior engagement' to give me a sound reason to take my own vehicle."

"Are you telling me that this 'inescapable commitment' for which you have to leave early, is just a cover to avoid travelling with Bill?" Michael sounded a little put out. He could occasionally be a little precious about attendance at his training sessions.

"Guilty as charged," Elizabeth grinned sheepishly. "In cases like this, one has to be a bit scheming; just call it female ingenuity."

“Well, it's worked out well for me." William chipped in upon noting the slight look of disapproval on Michael's face. "What time were you thinking of leaving?"

"I didn't want to get away much later than 5," she replied. "Will that be alright by you?"

"That'll be fine thanks," he nodded in agreement. "Where shall we meet? Here?"

"Sounds good to me. I'll see you later then." she answered, and with a quick conciliatory peck on Michael's cheek she was gone.

Chapter 2

"She seems like a bright kid," remarked William as Elizabeth left the room. "Is the man she was talking about Bill Collins by any chance?"

"Yes, how on earth did you know?" Michael asked in surprise.

"I recognised him from her description," said William. "You know… the 'odious, self absorbed, mindless' part."

"He can't possibly be that bad can he?"

"Oh, he certainly can," replied William "I had him in my discussion and planning group yesterday. I have never seen a man more full of self-importance. He spent half of the morning confidently expressing opinions on matters he obviously knew nothing about, and was continually making irrelevant and condescending remarks concerning other people’s ideas, mine not excepted. Midway through the morning Sam said something about me being on the board, and instead of trying to be clever with me, he moved on to obsequious fawning, and from then on he couldn't defer quickly or enthusiastically enough over anything I said. He is truly quite offensive."

Michael shook his head at William's confirmation of Elizabeth's opinion. "Maybe I should have treated her complaint more seriously. They're both going to be under your supervision at camp William. You won't mind watching out for her will you?"

"Not at all Michael. I think I could get quite some pleasure through keeping an eye on Elizabeth,” William grinned. "Mind you I get the impression that she’ll probably be able to handle him herself. Do you know her well? Has she been involved with The Program for long?"

"I know her family quite well. This is her first year with the northern division for camps, but Elizabeth has been part of our southern camp’s team for the last two years. She also volunteers an afternoon a week to teach piano at the centre," Michael replied. "I’m surprised you’ve not run into her at some time. If you're interested in her at least it shows a better taste than you've previously exhibited."

"I told you, I was never involved with Caroline. " William shot back at Michael. "She just filled in when I needed a date for a few functions… But if you're going to play matchmaker you'd do better to try find me a woman, not a mere girl! How old would Liz be? Late teens… early 20's at the most. If I'm still single in five years time, you can give me a call about her."

"A bit too young for your taste then?"

"Michael, involvement in your camps has given me enough 'teeny-bopper' admiration to last more than five lifetimes. I certainly don't want or need any more!"

"Will, you are far too cynical about love altogether. You should loosen up a little."

"What, and follow your example by being into my third marriage before I reach fifty? No thank you! It's going to take a lot more than a pretty face and lively personality to get me to renounce the single life."

"Oh yes, what will it take then?" Michael grinned.

"At the very least it will take a woman who is more than you normally meet with. I’ve no argument with beauty or good humour, but more importantly she’ll have to be well informed, discerning and intelligent. She'll also need to posses a moral integrity, and to hold things of value which I hold of value," William answered quite seriously. "I’m waiting for someone I can truly respect, and who in turn will respect and understand who I really am.”
"My goodness, this sounds serious!" laughed Michael, actually surprised to find this romantic idealism in William whom he had always considered to be more of a realist. "The problem is that if a woman of such quality existed she’d probably not be interested in you.”

~/~

"The William Darcy?" Charlie asked Elizabeth as she watched her friend pack her belongings, "the one who'll be running our camp this year?"

"The one and the same," Liz replied.

"Ooh... He's cute, I wouldn't mind spending five hours alone in a car with him,"

Elizabeth gave a slight shake of her head. "That's your trouble Charlie, you don't mind spending any time with any male! Anyway, don't you think he's a bit old?"

"I don't get you Lizzy, he's absolutely gorgeous, and given the car he drives he must be loaded. If I were you I'd take this opportunity of showing him your sweetest and most alluring self. You never know what could eventuate."

"Give me a break, Charlie. I remember you gave me similar advice when we first met Bill," cried Liz. "Thank goodness I didn't follow it then, and I'm certainly not going to follow it now."

"Yeah, might be for the best. I hear he's a bit stand-offish." Charlie said.

"He seems nice enough Charlie, but comes across a little stiff for my taste,” Liz replied. “I get the impression that it would take a long time to really get to know him."

"Well, Maria was on his team last year and she told me that he thinks himself above everyone else. He didn't join into many of the social activities, and generally kept himself aloof from the team," Charlie continued. "I suppose that explains why he only bothered to come up for the last few days of training."
"Probably had to work," answered Liz with a shrug. "Anyway, I'm sure he's done the training 100 times before, and as for joining in the fun, I dare say he’d be kept quite busy with the administration side of things, in just the same way that Katherine was during our last camp. Anyway… he'd be in the wrong demographic for a lot of the silly stuff that goes on - he must be at least in his late twenties"

"You might be right, and when a guy is so cute I can overlook his faults.” Charlie smiled. “Bill's really not that bad either."

Liz rolled her eyes in disbelief. On all other subjects Charlie was perceptive and interesting, but somehow her mind seemed to turn off if there was a good looking man in the frame.

"Well then, if he's not that bad maybe you can keep him away from the admin block at around 5. I'd like to make a clean get-away before he realises I'm leaving."

"It will be my pleasure!" Charlie laughed.

Chapter 3

Running only a little late, Liz pulled the big Ford up at the admin block. William looked out as the throbbing of the V8 caught his attention. Although the car must have been over 25 years old, it was in immaculate condition, a deep metallic blue, it sat low to the ground, looking quite mean flared guards and wide mag wheels.

He smiled as Liz got out of the driver's seat. "Not exactly the car I expected you to be driving. I guess it's not yours."

"Not feminine enough for you?" she answered with an arch smile. "Actually it's my step-mum’s, but it's the car I usually drive. What did you expect me to be driving? A little Jap number?"

"Well it'd be easier on the petrol tank for a start."

"Ah, but it has an LPG conversion. I wouldn't want to have to feed it real petrol," Liz laughed.

She watched as he easily lifted his heavy case into the car. Charlie was right, William Darcy was a very good looking man, on top of which he had an intelligence in his face and a natural grace to his movements. "I wonder if he has any younger brothers," was the thought that crossed her mind.

They began their long trip with very little conversation. Truth be told neither felt particularly comfortable after the exchanges they'd had earlier with their companions.

William was a little uneasy at Michael's hints about Elizabeth. Having a fling with a young student would be the last thing he'd desire, regardless of how attractive she might be. It was some years ago that William first began to tire of the games and superficiality surrounding the dating scene. It seemed to him that though the beginnings of relationships appeared to promise so much, the reality was that they delivered very little of real satisfaction. Eventually a cynical ennui had set in and though he still enjoyed the company of women, he was cautious of creating any expectations in them which he had no intention of fulfilling.

Elizabeth's uneasiness was of a slightly different nature, stemming instead from a wariness of how she might appear to William. Over the last few days she had noticed, and not without a certain disdain, how many of the female volunteers had acted around this man; unashamedly putting themselves forward, trying to court his attention. Charlie's suggestion that she should be her 'sweetest most alluring self' had only served to make her self conscious, particularly when coupled with Michael’s charge that her own customary liveliness could sometimes be mistaken as flirting. Her self respect would not allow her to come across as some pathetically drooling female, desperate to impress, so she said little.

Nonetheless, Elizabeth's natural easiness could not be long repressed, and after a couple of light exchanges on nothing in particular, she began to relax. As the road took a turning more toward the west, Liz reached to the console for sunglasses and found they weren't there.

"William, Would you mind getting my sunnies out of my bag. I think it's behind your seat."

"No problem," replied Will pulled the bag up.

"They should be in the front pocket."

"Typical women's hand bag," mumbled William as he pulled the glasses out from under a note pad, purse, pens, hairbrush, perfume, tissues, a novel, and of course the requisite packet of women's sanitary products.

"Well, I don't know how you men survive without handbags" Liz smiled as she put her sunnies on.

"So you're reading 'War and Peace'?" queried William, looking at the novel he'd had to pull out.

"No, I just carry it around to impress people," Elizabeth replied with light sarcasm.

"Actually I'm really cross with it at the moment. I finished part one last week and before I started part two I did what you normally do, and read the back cover - have a look at it yourself"

William turned the book over and read the blurb. He was about to say that he couldn't see any problem when his eyes fell to the last sentence. " The cover shows a detail from 'Death of Prince Andrei' by Leonid Pasternak.." he laughed out loud. "Talk about a spoiler."

"I don't even know if I want to finish it now," Liz pouted, then smiled despite herself. "I was skipping the slabs of battles and strategies as it was - but the rest of it is quite a soap, isn't it? It gets you in."

"I remember really enjoying it," he replied. "It's been years since I read it though, and I think my motivation on starting to read it, was just to say I had. I miss having time to read solely for pleasure. Most of my reading now is related to work."

"What do you do?" she asked

"I'm a journalist with 'The Age'" he replied.
"Oh..? re-wording press releases or putting together advertorials?" she asked with a teasing smile.

"Neither," he replied amused at her quickness.

"Oh well, fluff pieces then?" she laughed. "or are you more into reflecting the political view that will further the interests of you paper's owner?"

"Ouch..." he laughed, "and to think most people are impressed with my vocation. No, I actually work in the news room, and I take my job quite seriously. I'm not as jaded as a lot of my colleagues… yet. And you...? I assume you're a student. What's your main area of study? Given your cynicism it’s obviously something much loftier than journalism... philosophy perhaps… or medical research that's on the edge of finding a cure for cancer…?"

"Visual Arts," was her simple reply.

"Well, I can see why you're taking the high moral ground against journalism," he teased back. "Visual art is really going to change the world!"

"I'm doing it because I like it," she smiled at him, not at all abashed, "Besides, anything of beauty enhances our world."

"I'd have to agree with you there," he replied, withdrawing his eyes from her before she realised it was meant as an observation upon herself.

The two again settled into a silence but this time it was more comfortable.

"There's CDs in the glove box if you want to put one on," Liz said a while later.

William took out the compact disc case and began to examine the choices.

"Are these yours?" he asked sounding a little surprised.

"Yes, why do you ask?"

"You have a rather eclectic taste in music for someone your age," he said.

"What did you expect? Spice Girls?"

He ignored her and continued to flick through the discs.

"Harry Connick, Dire Straits, Vince Jones, Natilie Cole, Pink Floyd, Les Mis... AH HA! Human Nature - A BOY BAND!"

"What's the note of triumph in your voice for?" she queried.

"Oh, finding a 'boy band' in your collection has gone a small way toward restoring some confidence in my ability to assess people. It’s been shaken a little this afternoon… you're not at all who I expected."

"And who did you expect?" she asked in amusement.

"Please don't take offence at this, but <i>before</i> I was introduced to you I had you firmly in the 'beautiful but superficial category,' he replied. " Oh… and I didn't think you could very bright."

"What did I do to deserve that assessment?!" she cried, shooting him a dark look.

"Well..." William cautiously replied, "I’d only seen you with Bill Collins, so I thought you two were an item."

"Argh!" Liz shuddered.

"But I'm very willing to admit my judgement was totally off target," he apologised.

"So now you’ve met me you’ve transferred me to the 'ugly but deep' category,” she laughed.

"Well, maybe I was not totally wrong," he corrected himself.

"Ugly but shallow," they both said together.

Suddenly alarm bells started ringing in Williams head as he realised it could appear as though he was flirting with this young girl. "Pull back William," he told himself, "before she gets the wrong idea."

"Now what did you want to listen to?" he asked coolly.

"Well obviously not the 'boy band', or that will only re-enforce your opinion of my shallowness - I feel like something with a bit of life in it. Is ‘The Commitments’ in there?"

"Yes… here it is." William replied, resolving to be polite but withdrawn for the rest of the journey. He'd had a lot of practice at staying aloof, but something about Liz had caused him to temporarily drop his guard.

He put the CD in pressed play, and managed to suppress a smile as 'Mustang Sally' began to boom out of the speakers. They drove on without any significant conversation for almost half an hour and William began to feel a confidence that he hadn't given her the wrong impression. He was however, more than a little wary when Liz addressed him again.

"Are you tired?"

"Not really," he said cautiously, not knowing what she might suggest they do. He just wanted to get home without any delays or detours. "Why do you ask?"

"Would you mind driving?” she replied. “I'm wrecked. If I keep going I'll end up killing us both."

"That'll be fine, I'm sorry I didn't offer before."

"Don't be. I would have taken it as affront to my driving ability," she shot back with a quick grin, before pulling the car into the side of the road.

About ten minutes later William looked over at Liz curled up in the passenger seat, already asleep, and shook his head at his faulty assumption that she had been attempting to stretch out their time together. It seemed this girl wasn’t particularly concerned with impressing him, which came as a bit of a relief… at least he told himself that relief was his primary emotion… despite it feeling oddly like disappointment.

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