Swearing Is Bad For The Soul.

• Jack Johnston, Grade 10
• Short Story
• 2009

Swearing is Bad for the Soul.
By Jack Johnston

The snakes in the outback glistened under the sun. The kookaburras laughing to their heart’s contempt, laughing in the unbearable heat, under the tough Australian sun. As were the kangaroos, chomping on the dry, parched grass. The Australian outback is a harsh and unforgiving place, it shows no remorse to anyone who sets foot on its’ dry, dusty soils.

Many immigrants far and wide come to this land searching, praying for a better life. Jane Cosmeno’s family are of Italian heritage. Jane’s father’s grandfather moved to Australia in the 1830’s, after a feud in their tiny village in southern Italy. Her father, Vince, married Australian nurse Margaret and settled in a small homestead, just outside of Linga between Ouyen in Victoria and the South Australian border. Far away from anywhere remotely interesting. Jane is the youngest of five siblings, John, the eldest is 28 years old, Harriet 25, Sarah 22, James at 20 and Jane just shy of her 19th birthday. Jane did not share many of the blessings her older siblings benefited from. They were all very popular and attractive. She wasn’t particular gifted in any aspect of life, or as attractive like her sisters.

Jane was often shunned for the irresponsible things she did. Her family are devout Catholics and being in a reasonably small community everyone knew and loved them. Jane was often a troublemaker, not on purpose of course but was often condemned by her strict mother, for doing un-holy doings, especially in church on a Sunday. She was often called: “A vile and wicked girl, why couldn’t you be more like your sisters? They behave so nicely and are loved by all.” Jane coped abuse around the clock ever since she hit puberty.

One day at Sunday mass, Jane crossed the line, by swearing in front of the entire sermon. Of course she never meant to say the word, it apparently just slipped out, according to her. The most unlawful, disgusting part about this is that she did so in front of Father Thomas, a good friend of Jane’s father. The consequence of this was that her parents condemned her, and could never forgive Jane after her family.

It was a big extreme by any measure, but her family believed that Jane had ashamed them, all of them. It was quite obsessive to tell you the truth. But none the less Jane struggled her way through this mess and in front of the entire town, declared that she was a fully grown woman and required no ball and chain to tie her down. Everyone in the town was quite shocked at first, but was impressed and some what astounded for her petite choice of words, and how she was not afraid to criticise anyone, even the church.