Rona and Hannah's conversation was interrupted by the soft insistent beeping of the "call waiting" signal. "Is that at my end or yours?" asked Rona.

"That's at yours, short stuff."

"Okay, I guess I'd better get it then. Knowing my luck it'll probably be one of the writers complaining about how they can't get their article in on time or something."

"Sounds like fun! Okay then, later."

"Later, mate." Hannah hung up, and Rona looked at the 'phone in puzzlement for a moment before remembering what buttons to press to retrieve the other call. "Hello?"

"Oh, hi, Rona? It's Sacha."

"Hi, Sacha, how are you?"

"Not bad." Not bad thought Rona, that's exactly how she sounds, too: not good, not bad. Suddenly Rona felt sorry for Sacha, just a little.

"Listen" Sacha continued, "this is kind of embarrassing, but . . . I'm applying for a new flat, and I was wondering if I could put you down as a reference? For the agent, I mean."

Rona was stuck for a reply for a moment: she'd been expecting something that was actually embarrassing. "Of course!" she exclaimed eventually. "Mate, of course you can. Ooh, now you've got me all excited. Tell me about the place! Is it nice? Is it big?"

Sacha shrugged at the other end of the line. "It's okay" she said. "Nothing special, but it's a bit better than my current place. It's just a one-bedroom place. I'd rather not live in a little flat, but . . ."

"But what? Why don't you find a house? There must be tonnes of nice houses out there."

"I can't afford a whole house to myself!" Sacha replied. "I still don't have a job. I'm still living off my savings."

Rona laughed. "Don't be silly!" she exclaimed. "I didn't mean by yourself." (Even though she was sure Sacha would probably enjoy living by herself more than any other situation.) "This city is crawling with share houses. You could find somewhere, easy!"

"I've tried" said Sacha, "but . . ."

"What?"

Sacha frowned. "I don't make the best impression" she said. "In house interviews. I don't do . . . that whole small-talk, 'let's all be friends' bullshit."

"No kidding" muttered Rona, smiling to herself. More loudly, she said: "Seriously, though, it's not good for you to spend all that time by yourself at home. It makes people . . . weird. You have to spend time with other people, otherwise you'll just end up short-tempered with them. Well, in your case maybe it's a bit late - but you see what I mean, don't you?"

"Rona" said Sacha patiently, "firstly: thankyou for agreeing to be a referee for me. Secondly: perhaps if the agent calls, you could place less emphasis on how weird I am> And thirdly -" she continued quickly, before Rona could protest - "You live with - what, two other people? And you're hardly a paragon of saintly patience. Not at the Word on the Street, anyway."

Rona thought about this. "I guess so" she said slowly. "But you've got to admit: most of the people at that place deserve the shit I give 'em."