Naked Hero - The Journey Away

newspaper, preferring instead to concentrate on loosening his collar and tie. Neither the cool conditions set by the air-conditioning, nor the frosty glare of his Scottish friend where having much of an effect on his over-active sweat glands. He braced himself then continued with the speech he had earlier prepared. “The press in Australia, just like your own in Britain, can be a law unto themselves. The, ah... tone, yes, the tone... was regrettable, but there’s not much we can do to stop them expressing their opinion, Jim.”
    “I appreciate that, but it’s clear that they’re trying to encourage some unsavoury crowd involvement on Monday. I hope you’re going to be prepared for it, Cliff!” snapped Jim, still staring directly at the fidgeting Drysdale.
    “This is the Australian Open we are talking about, Jim, not some outback rugby derby,” replied Cliff rather indignantly, finding a little courage. “There will be adequate security measures in place for all the players. Rest assured that no harm will come to Lewis. No harm at all.”
    Jim was far from impressed. “It’s not his physical safety I’m concerned about. It’s his emotional well being I hope you’re up to protecting,” he countered – the gaze remaining steadfast, but Jim could tell that his voice was betraying the growing anxiety he felt.
    “We can’t stop the odd cat call from the crowd. It’s part of the game,” protested Drysdale.
    Jim could feel himself shaking, battling for control. This wasn’t shaping up the way he had hoped. “There’s always a line, and I don’t want to see that line crossed on Monday. I want some assurance that there will be extra security at his match, and if any of the crowd get out of control, then they’ll be ejected before it turns into a farce.”
    Cliff Drysdale looked affronted as he responded, “Are you telling the Australian people that they shouldn’t support their own player, Jim?”
    “Of course not, but there should be an element of fair play involved. Let’s not kid ourselves here. This has got bugger all to do with nationality. We wouldn’t be sitting here having this conversation if it was anyone other than Lewis involved. There are plenty of Aussies lined up in the first round against foreign players. But there’s only one match where there’s likely to be any bother,” said Jim as he lifted up the newspaper and waved it threateningly in Cliff’s direction. “This rag here has told everyone exactly where to go for it. Now are you going to act if anything kicks off, or just sit back and enjoy it and make a disgrace of yourself?”
    The question was directed towards Drysdale, but it was Frank Morris who now intervened for the first time. “Jim! You’re over-reacting to this piece of tabloid sensationalism. Lewis will be treated with the same courtesy as all the other players. We will show no favouritism, either for, or against. It’s the sort of courtesy that Lewis himself should take note off. He certainly didn’t show very much in Sydney, and must accept the consequences of his disgraceful behaviour there.”
    Jim heard Frank Morris’s words, and responded to them, but his gaze never moved from Cliff Drysdale. “The boy made a mistake, and you two sound as though you want to see him crucified for it. Or is this you seizing your chance to do some cleansing – rid the sport of something you neither like nor understand. History is riddled with such shameful behaviour: Hitler in Europe; the Klan in America; and Australia’s hardly innocent with its treatment of the Aborigines. But I never thought that tennis would be tarred with the same brush.”
    Deep breaths were drawn and slowly expelled as the targets of Jim’s wrath absorbed the remark. Better men might have blushed and sought reconciliation, but these weren’t better men. The answer came eventually from Frank Morris. “I’ll ignore that remark which is verging on the slanderous – but I will say this. The ATP is not tremendously happy with the way Lewis has behaved, neither before, nor after, his pitiful display in Sydney. Fortunately there have been no serious repercussions from his performance at the function he subsequently attended. But we may have been more understanding of his position if he had followed our advice. As it is, he decided to handle things on his own, and I would suggest that that is exactly what he does on Monday. I wish him good luck. He’ll probably need it.”
    Jim looked briefly