People's Choice Award: The Competiton

By Greg Fleming

EXCERPT:

     “A good turnout isn’t it?"
     K B Fleet wasn’t much to look at. He was overweight and sported an unbecoming military buzz–cut but his voice, with its gentle Scottish lilt, had talked many a woman into bed and, from what Simone had heard, few had regretted it.
     “Yes it is,” said Simone.
     They stood in the foyer of the art gallery. It was the competition’s awards night. Waiters wandered around with trays of drinks and canapés.
     “I just had a joint with the Minister of Arts in the loos,” Fleet whispered. “He’s got the munchies.”
     Simone laughed as the Minister walked past, his plate piled high with sushi.
     “So who’s the lucky winner?’
     “You’ll have to wait and see my dear, along with everyone else.”
     Right up until her deadline Simone had put Imogene’s story on the reject pile.
Justin’s betrayal still smarted, but the night before her selection was due in she’d marshalled all her strength and critical objectivity and reread it. No Hard Feelings went through.
     Somehow Bill had managed to convince Rachel to take him back and Justin now lived with Imogen at the church. Simone spied them across the busy room talking to Matt who had a bottle of wine in one hand and clutched one of the blondes from Indigo with the other.
     Simone had spent much of the last month rewriting her second novel. She’d hunted out her photos and letters from her time in Europe and spent a few days going through them. Slowly a story began to emerge. It wasn’t a story she thought she’d ever want to tell but, as the pages piled up, she realised it was the only one she could.
     After a fawning introduction by the competition’s sponsors Fleet walked to the microphone.
     “The standard was high again this year but one story stood out for its daring and originality. It introduces an excited new talent, one I expect we will be hearing much from in the future. Ladies and gentlemen I’m proud to announce that this year’s winner of the ALA Short Story Award is Louise Gluckman for the story After Class.”
     Simone almost choked on her celery-stick. Louise bounded on the stage smiling from ear to ear as camera’s clicked and the room applauded. Fleet kissed her on the cheek and stood smiling benevolently beside her as Louise mumbled into the mic and accepted the cheque and a large bouquet of flowers.