"We might have to consider it, Miranda" Rona said earnestly. "I mean beggars can't be choosy, and we're getting down to begging for a place."

"But Fairfield?"

"It's not that far away!" Rona insisted. "Seriously, I looked it up in the Melways, it's, like, just beyond Clifton Hill."

"It's an 'F' suburb" Miranda said.

"What's an 'F' suburb?"

"Fairfield, Flemington, Footscray . . ."

"You're not seriously saying you don't want to live somewhere because it starts with an 'F'?"

"I couldn't!" Miranda knew she'd never be able to explain to Rona how as a kid she'd always joined in her parents' jokes about the suburbs of Melbourne, about how all the ones they'd never ever want to live in started with an 'F'. Rona wouldn't understand: Miranda knew there was no reasoning behind it, really, but her parents' shared laughter had left an indelible impression on her.

"It looked nice, on the map" Rona continued. "Looked like there were lots of parks there."

"What about shops?" Miranda asked. "Cafés? Trams? How will I get to work?"

"You can ride your bike! The Merri Creek Trail goes right past. It's just a little detour. How nice would that be! Riding everywhere!"

"What about when it rains?"

"You wear a raincoat."

"What about when it's forty-six degrees?"

"You call in sick."

"It sounds like a last resort" Miranda said.

"It is a last resort. We're at that stage, for god's sake!"

"We've still got two weeks!"

"Two weeks! And where's the house gonna come from? We're already starting to accidentally call the same places twice."

"That was only 'cause I forgot to cross the number off!"

"It's desperate times, Miranda. We're gonna be homeless in two weeks."

"I can always just move into my aunt's place 'til we find a place" Miranda said.

"Well" Rona replied, "all my aunts are in Sydney."