Writing Tasks

IN AN ORDERLY FASHION, PLEASE.

Kira Hyde is an eccentric, yet reserved young woman in her first year of university here at Bendigo La Trobe.

In her black attire, with perfectly applied make up – she sits in front of me, hands intertwined in her lap, nervously smiling as I would assume a little hesitant to explain a bit about her interesting habit that only she knows of. Luckily for me, I have known Kira since the Smart Skills Program prior to the beginning of Week 1 of University and we hit it off almost after hello – sharing similar personalities and then interests in fashion, food, ambitions, beauty and music.

So this interview I was confident I would be able to get all the juicy information out of her, as we are already comfortable in each other’s presence.

Kira informs me that she has a slightly irrational habit. I could tell it was a considerable thing to tell me. But nonetheless, we continue exchanging about this newly known to me quirk of hers.

This impulsion border lining to compulsive only applies to two parts of her life…her wardrobe and her bookshelf. 

And ladies, we can all relate to having an impressive wardrobe, yes? There’s nothing more intimidating then having your friends come over to borrow a clothing item of yours & your fear is that the collection in your wardrobe does not do your style justice. “I have nothing, I only have like – 3 dresses…” and “…and they’re all crap!” you lie - as you hastily rummage through dozens of the magnificent bastards.

It’s like a way of life, having a mass of clothing exposing your taste and more intimately – your personality. So we take pride in this. And we take pride in everything else we deem special to ourselves, and present them in a way that gives us satisfaction – whether for our friends/visitors eyes, or for only our own.

Kira’s wardrobe is no exception of this. In fact, the inside of it is something extraordinary. From having no coat hanger mismatched, to ordering each hanging item by material, similarity in appearance and of course - colour coded. She progresses to explains to me that she takes part in a nightly check of her wardrobe before bed, and if “it is all over the place, and not exactly how it should be – then I completely lose it, and I cannot sleep.” So for Kira, a good, solid night’s slumber is the prime outcome of a perfectly arranged wardrobe.

It doesn’t stop there, however. Kira loves nothing more (other than the obvious impeccable wardrobe) than a gorgeously presented bookshelf. This bookshelf is located in her living area, which she likes to describe as her ‘reading corner’. The books she’s collected over time since as long as she can recall are ordered by genre and then colour coded. If Kira gets tired of this arrangement, it is then transformed by order of Author. If by some tragic instance this adjustment does not suit Kira’s colour code rule - then it is swiftly removed and back to the genre order. Either way, it’s a damn good-looking bookshelf.

I asked Kira where this bizarre yet very common I’m sure impulsion stems from.  For instance I thought she may have had a crazy aunty (we all have one, don’t deny it – mine’s named Sharon) but Kira informed me that this all began from a 6-year-old Kira’s dispute with her mother. It eventuated in her throwing everything in her wardrobe to the top shelf in a complete mess and asking her mother to enter her room to see what she had done. After a stern talking to, 6-year-old Kira vowed to maintain a clean room from then on after. As a result, 18-year-old Kira has a highly organized, colour coded, itemized, beautifully presented wardrobe and a genre based, (collection pending) ALSO colour coded, neatly presented bookshelf. Not to mention the anxiety and insomnia she endures if those two aren’t up to standard.

Kira seems relieved. She has opened up to me, and with great detail! I am pleased with myself, already picturing the fantastic grades from my lecturer Sue and we begin to chat about our weekend’s events and the new dresses she had just purchased. We then elaborate on the interview to make sure I had collected enough information and if I had missed anything.  It’s obvious she’s completely forgotten how uncomfortable she initially felt about this topic at the beginning, because she cuts me off mid-sentence. She gets her phone out of her handbag, opens up a photo in her gallery & urges enthusiastically for me to look at it.

In a hyperactive tone she squeals laughing, “OHH! – I forgot! Did I mention shoes?!”

Jess Greer.