"So when does this awful band start then?" asked Sacha as Rona dragged her out of her flat.

"Don't pre-judge" said Rona. "We're going in a professional capacity - well, I am - so it's important to try and be objective."

"But you said they were awful!" exclaimed Sacha with a little exasperation.

"Sure, but I've seen them before" Rona replied. "I've got a reason to say they're awful." She trotted briskly down the road towards Brunswick Street. "You know, you live in an awesome location" she said.

"So people keep telling me" replied Sacha. "So . . .?"

"Oh, right. Not for a couple of hours yet."

"Right . . . So, why are you dragging me out so early?"

"Relax. We'll get something to eat. Maybe a few drinks. After all, you can't listen to a punk band sober. It's just not right."

"But -" Sacha tried to stop herself from sounding like a kid in the back seat of a car - "But I'm not hungry" she said.

"Don't worry, you will be once you start eating."

"Also, I don't want to eat out. I'm trying to cut down on my spending. I can't afford it."

"Don't worry" said Rona again, "my shout."

"Can you afford it?"

"No" shrugged Rona. "Of course not! But I know a couple of places that'll give us cheap food, provided we don't order too much."

"Is there any place you can't get cheap food?"

Rona laughed and turned to face her, while still walking at a brisk pace down the footpath. "It's Fitzroy!" she said. "Everyone's your friend in Fitzroy."

Sacha thought about this. "Was that meant to sound like something from a Tourism Department brochure?" she asked.

Rona ignored the question. They reached Brunswick Street, and she scampered across the road through the traffice and turned right, closely followed by Sacha who wished that Rona would give her some warning before she did things like that. Rona stopped at one of the numerous cafés. "Let's go in here" she said. "One of my ex-housemates works here. He'll take care of us."

Sure enough, once inside Rona was greeted by a young man in a manner Sacha was starting to get used to witnessing: loud exclamations, hugs, and lots of "So how've you been?" The young man sat Rona and Sacha down and, over the next forty-five minutes, they ate a meal which, had they been charged the listed price, would have been greatly over-priced but which instead, with the discount that Rona was given, was only moderately over-priced.

Rona looked at her watch after they'd paid. "Okay" she said, "Let's head to the bar and get ourselves in the right frame of mind."