By Ruby Corcoran

From others’ perspectives:

Rhyton Cup – National Gallery

A flood of girls came walking in, holding notebooks and wearing the most exquisite uniform I have seen so far! As I sat there behind the glass wall, I prepared myself for a wave of pointing and staring. They filtered down the room, girls began to head toward the Egypt section completely ignoring me. Three girls sat down and showed some interest, I wish I could dust myself off and look more respectable. They kept glancing up at me taking notes down, I was lucky enough to get a quick glimpse of them, lion-head shaped cup, large handle and splendid unique painting. I felt proud I mentally grinned inside with pride. The best part of my day is seeing the absolute fascination on their faces it makes me feel as though I still mean something thousands of years later. Most girls were more interested in the big strong vases, used to carry litres of liquid, I thought ‘I can hold liquid too!’ Eventually the teachers began to round them up and guided them to the exit leaving me alone yet again.

Tram Driver - Swantston St

As the tram stop began to come into view I prepared to stop and I dung my bell. I slowed down pulling up after a couple of other trams, then I saw a pack of school girls about fifty of them all waiting to fill on the tram. I opened the doors reluctantly and glanced in the mirror to see how full the tram was, after the girls came on I could tell other people were getting squashed significantly. I did what I was suppose to and closed the doors, the girls should be old enough to figure out what to do, but right now I just had to do my job. The teachers’ faces immediately changed into a frightened panicked expression, one of them tried pressing the button of the doors again but I would not give in. She began to run across the platform, signalling for me to stop, I did, but not for her, traffic was always bad at midday. Yet again I looked in my mirror to see what was happening, the girls were debating on whether to get off at the next stop or continue onto to the Museum. In the end the people arguing to get off won, and the girls exited the tram briskly, teachers guided them onto the tram behind mine. Just another day’s work!

The fairy lights on the roof – Melbourne Museum

I heard many noises, including lots of young girls talking, I knew yet again that there was another excursion. I could hear them getting closer and closer until three girls walked past, they spotted me and gazed up at me. Then they got out their phones and began to take photos, I felt embarrassed but grateful, they began to take photos of each other looking at me. One girl hurried them up saying that they needed to move on, another spotted the magnificent piece of 3D artwork just ahead. It was quite amazing, cut out figures of Aboriginal men with a European boat just above, it all represented the first time Europeans found Australia. The schoolgirls began talking about the artefacts like the cauldron to boil seal blubber to oil, the Pacific Island boats, all the remarkable stories written on the wall and of course the interactive artefacts like the fire and message sticks. All of them sounded incredible, I don’t get to move around, and so I have never met them. At least I get to sit there above, hearing people talk about them, and giving people light to continue wandering through out the exhibit.

Theatre worker – Imax Theatre

I was excited about the movie I was about to show to fifty or so schoolgirls. Mummification, one of the things that absolutely fascinates me, it was just my luck they were showing it on my shift! I was literally buzzing with so much excitement I forgot I had to get the girls into theatre, when I snapped back to reality I hushed the girls down and explained they were to leave no seat gaps. When they all entered, there was the exact right number of seats for them all, then I let them be, I ducked outside and anticipated the documentary. It finally began, the whole movie flicked back to ancient times then forward to present day, then back to the eighteenth century. They focused on how people could not find Pharaohs tombs, until one man forced it put of two brothers, when they showed him the man was absolutely stunned. He ordered slaves to bring out the mummies and later the whole cave collapsed. They then fast forwarded to current day, showing scientist trying to use DNA from ancient mummies to see how the disease Malaria has evolved over time. Scientist made a modern day mummy and then found that there was the most DNA in the mummies bones, which is exactly where they looked in the ancient mummies. It was fascinating, I stood there amazed that yet again I forgot about the girls, I ushered them out of the massive screened theatre, finishing up my shift.

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