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When I started writing Jez's story, I wasn't at all sure about involving Tracey. It's not that
she was boring exactly, although for ages the only thing I heard her say to other members
at the club was "hi people" and "spooky!" and "bye people". It's just that her relationship
with Jez finished before the end of the story and she was unsure about having it documented
in any way. Besides, she was really unhappy with the way I portrayed her and threatened
to destroy my manuscript. "You make me sound so dumb! So spooky!" she complained.
Tracey and her best friend, Shazia, both had "furbies", strange toys that used sophisticated
electronics to simulate living creatures. There was an occasion when the two of them
were sitting outside the clubhouse with these toys and Tracey's "furby" sneezed
(apparently it was programmed to do that when it was not 'fed'). Tracey put her hand
to the furby's beak. Shazia laughed, but I'm sure she failed to notice that Tracey then
subconsciously wiped her hand on the side of the chair. Well, I noticed it, and I felt I
just had to include curious little incidents like that in the story.
Worried that the publicity might affect her relationship with her new boyfriend, Tracey spoke to
me at length about the invasion of her privacy and, despite my suggestion that I change her
name, she would have none of it.
"What if people recognise me when I'm out buying a newspaper or underwear or something?" she
asked.
I told her there were would be no photos, but she persisted, "What if they make a film of it?". Again
I reassured her, "They'd have an actress - why would anyone think it was you?"
"But I was a member of Upper Gummtrey Tennis Club and I was going out with Jez!
Even if you change my name and everything, everyone round here at least will know it's me! And
it's so - spooky!"
I wanted her co-operation and I was getting a bit exasperated by now, but Tracey's friend,
Shazia, came to my rescue with a suggestion. "You could really have some fun with it, Trace,"
she said. "You could say to people - 'You're not the first person to ask if I'm the Tracey in
the story. Well thanks very much! She's much older than me! Do I really look that dumb? How
dare you!' - and just imagine their faces!"
"Yeah," said Tracey, with a twinkle in her eye. "That'd be cool! I could keep people guessing
for ever! Spooky!"
Over the course of time, Shazia's playful remark germinated somewhere deep in Tracey's soul
and as her psyche expanded to accommodate a different identity, she became a deeper
(albeit more confusing) person. I think it has been an enriching experience for her, but I
suppose I would say that! It's proved to be difficult in one respect though - I sometimes
wonder if I have represented her accurately. Thinking back, though, there were occasions when
Tracey's "deeper" side unexpectedly surfaced, even in the early days.
* * * *
One Saturday afternoon, Jez and Tracey arrived at the club just as young Nathan Austin was
leaving.
"Where are you off to, Nathan?" asked Tracey.
"Oh, I've got to go before Gill Reynolds gets here," the boy replied, picking up his
skateboard. "I think someone's told her I'm not a member. Anyway, I've got to do my science
homework."
Normally, Tracey would have just said "Spooky! Seeya!" and that would have been that, but
on this particular occasion, she stopped and enquired helpfully about the homework. Of course,
Nathan immediately saw an opportunity to save himself time and effort by using her brains
instead of his own. And Jez, who did not exactly get on well with the boy, immediately saw an
opportunity to fool around a bit.
"I need to write about the origin of the universe," Nathan explained. "How and when it
started and when it will end."
"Well, it's just one of those things that happen from time to time," said Jez.
"Don't be silly, Jez," said Tracey.
"Yeah, you just don't know the answer, do you?" Nathan mocked. "People your age still
think God made it all in seven days."
"At one time all matter was concentrated in a state of infinite density," Tracey began. "It
exploded, marking the creation of what we refer to as the universe. Because it's expanding,
scientists have been able to calculate backwards to establish the time of the Big Bang. They
reckon it was about 15 billion years ago."
"Wow!" said Nathan, trying to comprehend what 15 billion years meant.
"Wow!" thought Jez, trying to comprehend how Tracey knew all that stuff.
Tracey was in full flow. "If the universe is dense enough, the expansion will eventually
reverse and it'll collapse," she continued, as Jez and Nathan gaped in wonder. "If it isn't
dense enough, the expansion will continue forever. So the density of the universe will
determine its ultimate fate. Spooky, or what?"
"That's exactly what I was going to say," Jez asserted.
"That is so cool," said Nathan, ignoring Jez. "I wonder what exactly caused the explosion."
"Kids your age - playing with matches!" said Jez.
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