Volume 2, Chapter 4

It is Sunday morning. I can hear Mikaere moving around the house. He was back on Saturday afternoon. Alessandro is not around as he usually helps at his parents’ restaurant on weekends, Mikaere tells me. Look at phone. Ah! Matilda has finally responded to the text I sent yesterday.

“Up in Whangarei at parents house. Maybe back in Auckland next weekend.”

What should I read into this? Well she probably went to her parents’ house for some support or comfort. She must be upset. I wonder if she told them what happened. Normally she would never miss an apostrophe, probably not even in a text message. That she thinks she will be back in a week is a little bit positive. I should respond. I won’t say I have spoken to McDuff. I could phone her but I would prefer to talk to her face to face. A brief text is the thing.

“OK. Let me know when U R back.”

I think she will do so.

I get up for a shower and Mikaere calls through from the kitchen that he will make me an omelette for breakfast when I am ready. That will be nice. I like being fussed over by a gay male. By the time I am showered and dressed he has all the ingredients at the ready and before I know it I am sitting down to a kind of Mediterranean style omelette with onion, red capsicum and spinach. He sits with me in the kitchen over a cup of coffee.

“You will make some lucky man a wonderful husband one day,” I say.

Mikaere blushes. “I hope so,” he says.

“You and Alessandro seem very good together,” I venture.

“Yes, he is wonderful and I really think he loves me.”

“And so he should,” I respond, with mock crossness.

“Alessandro is a wonderful chef. I am learning so much from him.”

“Well I thought you were a pretty good cook beforehand,” I respond.

“Thank you but there is so much to learn.”

I feel idle and amuse myself by checking on American political news on my laptop. The Trump presidency had been pursuing its extraordinary path over the course of the year. The enquiries of Special Counsel Robert Mueller into Russian interference in the 2016 election have been largely proceeding behind closed doors. But the arrest of Trump supporters, Paul Manafort, Rick Gates and George Papadopolous occurred last month and continues to be a focus of comment and speculation. Legal processes go so slowly. Trump is still mad at Jeff Sessions, the Attorney General, who recused himself prior to Mueller’s appointment. Recent news concerns Trump supporting the Republican Senate candidate, Roy Moore, who was facing accusation of sex with underage girls. No surprises there! A big win for Trump was the passing of massive tax cuts.

I am so glad I am not living in the USA at the moment. And New Zealand has just elected a 37 year old woman, Jacinda Ardern, as Prime Minister! When I was down in Wellington, the politics were all around me. I found out how their version of proportional representation works, which is different from the Finnish system. It was no great surprise to me that the leader of the largest party in Parliament didn’t get to form a government. Unfortunately it hinged on the support of the leader of the New Zealand First Party, Winston Peters. I don’t like the sound of ‘New Zealand First’. It sounds a bit too much like ‘America First’.

I don’t have a busy week coming up. I should be able to get on with my latest research project on paths to political leadership for women in the USA, Finland and New Zealand. There’s nothing like being current! But I have such a lot to learn about New Zealand politics. Fortunately it is easy to get access to politicians in New Zealand and women Members of Parliament have been very helpful.

I wonder if I should make an appointment with the Dean. When I met him at McDuff’s farewell he mentioned discussing the future of Gender Studies with me. Was he just trying to express a general interest or did he really have something he wanted to talk to me about? If the latter, that could be ominous. But probably the best assumption is that he is neither a particular enthusiast of Gender Studies nor a particular opponent and probably wants to learn what is going on in various parts of the Faculty. I shall make a short appointment with him and try to help him understand how the subject works at this institution and share some of my thoughts without being too demanding.

For my ‘other job’ on Wednesday afternoon I shall go to the panel discussion on women in accountancy including one of my targets, Suu Maung. I could then use that meeting to establish a connection with her. I didn’t check when she arrived at the University. Let’s see. Oh she arrived in mid 2016, only about six months before I did. We could bond as newly arrived foreign women. Perhaps she feels more foreign than I do. Even so, I could emphasise my Finnishness and downplay my American experience.

I am feeling lazy and a bit sleepy but, oh dear, my phone rings. It is Jason.

“Good afternoon, Professor Makkonen I don’t know if you remember, I was a student in your graduate class in the first semester.”

“Hello, Jason. Of course I remember you. What can I do for you?”

“Can I come and see you? There’s a matter I want to talk over with you.”

“I shall be at my office tomorrow.”

“I really want to come and see you today. Can I come over to your house?”

My own retrospective advice to McDuff rings in my ears, not that the situations are comparable.

“I am sorry, Jason, but that is not convenient. We could talk over the phone for a little while, though. I have an idea of what you may wish to talk about.”

“Do you know about Matilda and McDuff?”

“Yes I did hear something about that. And I think you made a formal complaint.”

“Yes I did and I was perfectly within my rights to do so.”

“You were within your rights, yes.”

“But you think I was wrong to make the complaint, do you?”

“I didn’t say that and anyway I don’t know all the circumstances. I just know that sometimes it is best not to exercise your rights.”

“I just have no idea what Matilda thought she was doing. Have you talked to her?”

“No. I understand she is out of town.”

“Really? I haven’t been able to get in touch with her but I am sure I caught sight of her in the Mall yesterday.”

“Oh, well. I could be wrong. I strongly advise you not to attempt to see her if she doesn’t want you to. It seems to me that the situation is a bit of a mess but what you all need to do is to try and process what has happened and think calmly about what is best to do now.”

There is silence at Jason’s end of the phone. I don’t know who I think I am dishing out this kind of advice. It doesn’t match my own behaviour at all. But maybe it is wisdom gleaned from my own mistakes.

I carry on, “Now Jason, I expect you are feeling lots of things right now and I would be happy to talk to you next week. I shall be in my office much of the time but you could call ahead if you want to make sure.”

Jason eventually finds some words to say. There is emotion in his voice. “ Yes I will come and see you. Thank you.”

After that call I need a drink. I wonder if there is any alcohol in the house.