Neither Matt nor Rona said anything for a while: Matt because he was busy, and Rona because she didn't have anything to say - and also partly because she didn't want to distract Matt from his work: she wouldn't like to be responsible for his making a mistake, and getting in trouble. After the silence had become prolonged, Matt was moved to say:

"You know, you don't have to hang around here if you don't want to."

Rona looked at him questioningly, and in a hurry he added: "Not that I don't love having you around, but I mean - it can't be very exciting for you."

"Excitement's over-rated" Rona replied.

"You know what I mean."

Rona glanced at the clock behind the shop counter. "Actually I do have to leave soon" she said. "I've got to do another job interview. You know, so it looks like I'm trying to find work. No dole without job interviews" she sighed.

"Where's this one then?" asked Matt, concentrating more on the mess somebody had made of the shop's careful alphabetising.

"Sandwich bar" said Rona. "Some food court somewhere, god I don't even know where." She sighed.

"You have to do an interview for a job at a sandwich bar?" asked Matt without lifting his head.

"Apparently."

"Weird." Matt held up one of the C.D.s on the shelf in disgust. "Now why the hell would somebody put this here? Natacha Atlas? Who the hell catalogues singers by their first name?" He tucked the C.D. under his arm ready to carry it back to the 'A' section where it belonged.

"Brunswick!" Rona suddenly exclaimed. "That's where it is. East Brunswick. I'm pretty sure."

"A food court?"

Rona waved her hand. "Or a shopping mall or an arcade or something."

"Huh."

"Well at least it won't take long to get there from here."

"That's true" said Matt distractedly. He continued working. "You know" he said after a while, "maybe you should get a job." He looked up at Rona again, who was looking at him with surprise. "You know, now that you're not at the Word any more."

"At the sandwich bar?" asked Rona, puzzled.

"No!" Matt laughed. "Not at the sandwich bar. But you know, at a magazine or at a newspaper or something. Like the Word. Only properly paid."

Rona wrinkled up her nose in disgust. "Ugh, I'd hate working somewhere corporate like that. Not my scene at all."

Matt shrugged. "Okay, whatever. You know best."