Chapter Three

I’d heard about the Internet, read about the Internet, talked about the Internet, but I never really understood what it was all about, and even Ben’s presence doesn’t distract me from the computer screen where we’re being shown how to use the World Wide Web.

And it’s fascinating. I never thought I’d be able to grasp it, but Rob, the man who’s taking the course, is explaining so clearly, so concisely, that I’m beginning to understand exactly what the big deal’s all about.

I can see that Geraldine’s bored, and to amuse herself she’s flirting with Rob, who seems delighted that someone like Geraldine would even look at him, but Ben’s my ally in this, Ben’s as enthralled as me, and together we’re visiting newsgroups, sites, forums.

Rob shows us how to create a page, and explains that this is the Web: that all over the world people are designing pages filled with whatever information and pictures they choose, and from those pages there are links to hundreds, often thousands, of other pages.

He shows us how to search for a topic, and then how to follow those links until we find what we’re looking for, and it’s like a completely new world opening up for me.

And as the day carries on, the more we learn, the more I start to relax with Ben, the less he seems to intimidate me, maybe because we’ve got something in common now, I don’t have to struggle for something to say.

At 5 p.m. Rob says we’re done, and I catch Geraldine’s eye as she rolls it to the ceiling. The three of us walk out together, and as soon as we’re out the door Geraldine digs into her Prada bag and pulls out her cigarettes.

‘God, I needed that,’ she says, inhaling deeply as we stand on the corner. ‘That was the most boring thing in the world. I knew most of it, for God’s sake. Talk about Internet for idiots.’

‘I thought it was really interesting, actually,’ says Ben. ‘What did you think?’ He turns to me and I nod vigorously, because I would agree with Ben no matter what I thought, and it’s just a happy coincidence that I happen to feel the same way.

‘I loved it,’ I say. ‘I still can’t get my head round it.’

‘I know,’ echoes Ben, ‘there’s so much it’s almost impossible to take it all in.’

‘Oh shut up you two,’ says Geraldine, as a little glow lights up inside me because, stupid as it may be, she has linked me with Ben. ‘Look,’ she says, gesturing up the road. ‘There’s a really nice bar up here. If you promise not to talk computers all night, why don’t we go for a drink?’

Who? Ben? Me? Both of us? She was looking up the road as she said it and I just stand there in silence because she can’t mean me, she wouldn’t want to have a drink, socialize after work, with me. Surely?

‘Good idea,’ says Ben, and they start walking off while I stand there feeling like an idiot, unsure of what to do.

‘Jemima?’ says Geraldine, turning round. ‘Come on,’ and I almost want to kiss her as I race to catch up.