The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike) Part 2027 by Angharad Copyright © 2013 Angharad All Rights Reserved.

Whilst driving from the university to the convent I wondered about the nature of intelligence and if the basis is inheritance or nurture. I suspected it involved both. If nature gives you the tools through inheritance and you’re able to develop them, then you win on both fronts. If one is missing then sadly you won’t fully realise your potential. Other factors must be things like motivation, general health and drive plus access to new ideas, mentors and teachers and so on. I was reasonably bright, moderately creative and motivated. Then the final influence–luck or opportunity.

I was fortunate, I was brought up in a reasonably caring family, who wanted me to do well, so I got a good education and went on to do something I enjoyed–dormouse wrestling.

That I was transgender and as it transpired AIS was a setback and created conflict within my family and could have destroyed me on several occasions and could certainly have done so professionally. I was fortunate to have found support and encouragement from Simon and Stella and from Tom and the university. They helped me to be me and to re-allocate the energy that I’d been using to try to keep the lid on my transgender urges. Once I could relax that and be myself–a female–I could devote myself to greater things.

It was interesting that Turing, who was given oestrogens to supposedly curb his sexual urges, claimed that the hormones destroyed his mind and his creative abilities. I, like thousands of other transsexual women, have taken them for far longer than he did, so is my little mind only half as clever as it once was? Not sure I want to know the answer to that. Then we have the Daily Wail suggesting that the Victorians were cleverer than we are by up to fourteen points on an IQ scale–so how come they didn’t have jet aircraft and global warming?

I collected the girls and Trish asked me what I was cogitating, so I told her about the article in the Mail. Her almost instant response was, “Of course they were cleverer, they had a hundred years start on us.” Sometimes the answers are so obvious I can’t see them.

Back at home I went to my study to try and find out what I could about the role of the university board and whether I thought it was a good place for me to join or if I was a good candidate to be there. If they were going to ignore me or my views, then it was a waste of time–but I wouldn’t know that without trying it, unless I could speak to someone about it, who knew what it was all about.

I called the university office and think I got the duty woodlouse, when I asked how I might contact Dr Norma Harrington, they didn’t know who she was. Was I doomed to make a similar impact? In which case why bother?

I was still there wondering how to speak to her when Tom popped his head round the door, “Sae ye’re goin’ f’ thae board–guid lass.”

“Um, I don’t know, Daddy, it’s a bit scary.”

“Och, ye’ll be fine.”

“I wish I could talk to someone about it, like the woman I could be replacing, Dr Harrington.”

“I’ve got her phone number somewhere.” He disappeared and reappeared two minutes later handing a scrap of paper with her home number on it.

“I wonder if she’ll talk to me?”

“Och, gi’ me yon phone.” I handed him the cordless handset and he punched in the number and then after introducing himself chatted away for several minutes, then he asked if his ‘dochter’ could have a wee word. She must have asked what about and he told her, about the executive board of the university, and that I’d been nominated to replace her. Then he handed me the phone.

“Hello, it’s Cathy Watts, the dean asked me if I’d stand as a candidate for the university board, I wondered if I could ask you some questions about the position?”

“So you’re Tom Agnew’s daughter?”

“By adoption.”

“Ah, that explains it, his girl died didn’t she some years ago.”

“In a motor accident.”

“That’s right, drunk driver–she was very clever by all accounts?”

“She was studying as Oxford.”

“I thought so.”

“I hope they didn’t elect you on grounds of gender?”

“Oh the quota female?”

“Yes.”

“Yes they did–but don’t let it bother you–it enables you to step over dozens of men who’d kill to do it.”

“Do they treat you with respect?”

“What d’you mean?”

“I recently resigned from the standards committee because they ignored me because I was a woman.”

“Why didn’t you make them listen?”

“I did, I created a scene, told them what they could do with their committee and flounced out.”

She laughed loudly, “What a pity they don’t video these meetings.”

“If they do the same on the board, there’s little point in me allowing the nomination.”

“What d’you teach?”

“Ecology and field biology are my specialist subjects but I also help out with biology in general.”

“Didn’t one of your lot do a film on dormice?”

“Yes, that was me.”

“Wear that outfit and they’ll take notice of you, but not in a positive way.”

“I think I can deal with the clothing, it’s the politics which worry me.”

“You’ve obviously got communication skills, who wrote the script for you?”

“I wrote, presented and directed the film.”

“Good for you, so you can present a reasonable case. I presume you can hold your own on a stage, in front of a frightening audience?”

“I’ve lectured to classes of three hundred, I’ve done public lectures to more and I played Lady Macbeth on the stage last year.”

“What about serious audiences?”

“I’m on the board of High Street Bank.”

She said something which sounded like duck. Then added, “So why are you asking me for advice–how did you get into the Scottish mafia?”

“Easy, I married the heir.”

“You married a Cameron?”

“Well, he married me as well.”

She laughed, “You sound so refreshingly naíve but you can’t be. Introduce yourself as, what is it, Lady Cameron?”

“Yes.”

“They’ll take note of you, especially if you can get special terms for grants and things.”

“That’s another area that worries me, conflict of interest.”

“Just do what’s best for you.”

I wasn’t sure that was what I wanted to hear. “I wasn’t planning on revealing that, initially, as they might think I’d bought my position.”

“Good point, and you didn’t I take it?”

“Of course not, I’m half tempted to decline the nomination, I’d rather teach than do politics.”

“Don’t you dare, girl, they need some fresh blood.”

“You make it sound like they’re a load of vampires?”

“Oh they are, all seeking to increase their empires at anyone else’s expense.”

“Is there nobody I can trust there?”

“The vice chancellor is okay, he’s a retired bishop.”

“Oh wonderful, that’s all I need.”

“You have a problem with clerics?”

“Sometimes, I’m a Darwinian.”

“Ah, a Dawkinsite?”

“Not entirely but closer to him than any sky fairies.”

“Don’t worry, he’s a good man and honest–he also did a degree in chemistry years ago, so he’s okay with scientific method and he doesn’t push his religion.”

“Thanks for talking to me.”

“Look, why not come to dinner tomorrow?”

We made arrangements and she told me where she lived, near Winchester. I accepted and wondered what that engagement might bring.