Chapter 13

Less than two weeks later, Tawab, Farzana and Tela were installed in a two-room house and Gabbaitch had a small herd of goats wandering the slope of what had once been Carl Bay, the northwest limb of Lake Argyle. Tawab went out every morning, shoo-ing his charges to greener shoots. Farzana had status among the women as a practicing (though degree-less) gynaecologist and obstetrician. And Tela listened to stories. Her favourite was:

Once in the dusk, Oona was in the garden collecting vegetables for supper when her digging stick turned on something solid. She felt down with her fingers and brought up a large, circular dish which she held over her head. Light played on the dish. Oona sat down with her special cleaning cloth and cleaned the dish. But it was too dirty and she left it by the door until after she had prepared and eaten supper. Then she cleaned it some more. It was dark. It was black. But as Oona moved her hand from left to right it began to shine silver white.

Each evening after supper Oona cleaned the dish. She cleaned the dish for fourteen days. It got cleaner and shinier but was too big to take into the house. When the whole dish was clean, her sisters were delighted and wanted to hang it high on the wall. Oona thought so too, but there were still dark spots on the dish. It should have no blemish if it were to go on the wall.

But when she rubbed it more and more — right to left -- for another fourteen days it got darker. Not brighter. And she still works on the dish every night.

But for Jos and Gabbaitch a new menace had appeared.

One morning, a RangeRover with “Government of Western Australia / Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety” on its doors rolled up and a man in chinos and boots got out. He demanded “approvals” under the Building Act. Jos had no notion, but Sam immediately phoned his father.

“Another drongo!” Patrick exclaimed. “Is he there?”

“Yes. He’s wandering about peeking into homes.”

“OK. Give me a minute, I’ll find the rules online ... Ah! Here we are! Can you put him on? Introduce me as ‘Patrick Hollister.’ OK?”