Jackie Kay was born in Edinburgh in 1961. Her biological mother was Scottish, and her biological father, Nigerian. She was adopted soon after being born by a politically activist couple, John and Helen Kay from Glasgow. This couple had previously adopter her brother.
As a curiosity, Jackie worked for some months as a cleaning woman for John Le Carré, the spy novels writer.
She wanted to be an actress, but after reading the stories by Alasdair Gray, she decided to be a writer. She studied English at the University of Sterling.
She writes poetry, novels, short stories and plays. Her topics are adoption, gender, sexuality, activism and family relationships.
Her most famous book is Trumpet, about a jazz musician who, once dead, they discovered he was a woman.
Our short story appeared in a book called Why don’t you stop talking?
About her private life, we can say she had a son with another writer, then she had a long relationship with a poetess who had a daughter with a poet. So, a life full of books and writers.
SUMMARY
This is a story about two middle-aged female teachers.
In the story, they don’t have names, they are referred only by the subject they
teach, Physics and Chemistry. A part of being workmates, they’ve been living together
for a long time, and they know each other very well. Physics is serious and
introvert, and Chemistry is more open and doesn’t have problems expressing her
emotions.
They are good teachers and in general are respected by
their colleagues. Perhaps somebody can think they are a typical pair of
spinsters, but if somebody does, they keep their opinion by themselves.
One day, after being in a concert they liked very much,
they make love for the first time. For both of them it was a very satisfying experience,
and it even changed a bit of Physics character: from this day on, she was less shy
and maybe a bit daring. However, they go on being cautious about this new twist
in their relationship. Moreover, they are modest and avoid talking to each other openly about
their physical encounters.
But some time after this new path in their lives, a
pupil’s parent comes to the school accusing the two teachers of being lesbians. Of
course, the headmaster has to talk to them and explain the resolution he has decided
to take.
QUESTIONS
-According to you, what is the best way to share the
domestics tasks?
-How do you feel talking about sex? Why do you think
people are usually shy about this topic?
-When you introduce yourself, do you think you have to
define your sexual orientation? What aspects of your life do you think you must communicate to your boss or to your workmates?
-Can someone be fired because of their sexual orientation?
-What do you know about these new terms/concepts:
gender versus sex, binary/nonbinary, gender-fluid…?
-In the story, something causal has chanced the life
of our protagonists. In your opinion, what is more decisive in our lives,
chance or will? Why do you think so?
VOCABULARY
poaching, shade of emulsion, serviced the car, seeped,
glee, blissfully, put my foot in, wallop, fumed, gaffes, lemon grass, wee jug,
marking, shoogle, had…round, bubbling, has been up, giving…notice, bobbles,
plain/purl