About an hour and a half later Rona and Sacha were outside, sitting on the front step of the club. "Where the fuck is that boy?" complained Rona, checking her watch. Mal had promised to drive them each home after packing up, by way of apology to Rona. Alain had gone on to a party in the city, though not before trying to get Sacha to come with him. Rona had reassured Sacha that he would probably lose interest after a week or two; Sacha had replied that it couldn't happen soon enough. She and Rona had each had a few.

"So you had a good time then?" asked Rona.

"Yeah, band wasn't too bad. Beats a cold bath and tinned food for dinner."

"You haven't had anything to eat?"

"Ahh . . ." Sacha shrugged. "I'll get by." After a while she spoke again: "So . . . What's up with that Hannah girl?"

"How d'you mean?"

Sacha shrugged again.

"Yeah" said Rona. "I met her a few years ago, when I first moved down here from Sydney. I was in a bar, she came in, flashed me a smile, bought me a drink. Friends ever since. I'm easy. Bit of booze and I'm anyone's!" Sacha raised an eyebrow at her. "No, no" explained Rona, "nothing's ever happened. I'm not . . . you know. Don't be worried about Hannah, though. She acts tougher than she is. And in case you're wondering, she won't try anything on you. Not unless she's plastered. Not if you don't want her to, that is. She's cool."

Sacha held her palms up defensively. "I wasn't thinking anything."

"It's okay, a lot of people get a little worried when they first meet her." Rona put a hand on Sacha's shoulder.

Sacha politely removed it, and turned patiently to Rona, as if to a child. "Okay, Rona, I know I'm from Canberra, and I know it's a small town, but - it's not Hicksville. We have liberal pornography and marijuana laws, we have brothels and adult shops, and amazingly enough we have homosexual people as well. Okay?"

Rona thought about this. "You know, most people find it much quicker to just tell me straight out if I'm being a patronising bitch."

"Yes" replied Sacha, "but I'm a little bit drunk, and when I get drunk I also tend to get verbose."

"That's very impressive, I just slur my words."

Sacha put a hand clumsily on Rona's shoulder. "Stick with me, and you'll be a walking, talking dictionary of inebriation."