Chapter 2

I called Sue after dinner but got her answerphone. I left a message asking her to phone me at home till ten or at the office in the morning. Weena put Sarah down — for most of the night, I hoped — and I sat with Patrick. He was trying to explain why the emu couldn't fly though her sister, the turkey, could. I knew the story but let him struggle with it.

"And that's why the turkey has only two chicks," he concluded.

"Do you understand that?"

"No. Not all of it."

"It's a try at explaining why emus lay clutches of eggs but turkeys only two. Because turkeys fly, goannas and snakes can't get at them. But emus run and emu chicks can't run fast, so the slow ones in each clutch get eaten."

"Oh. Is that because of Darwin?"

"No, Pat. Darwin explains things. He didn't cause anything."

"Okay."

"You know, there are two more books of stories like The First Sunrise. I'll see if I can find them for you."

"Wow! That would be great! These are good stories."

"Yes they are. Now let's get you ready for bed." He went quite docilely.

I was still unhappy. Weena tucked Patrick in and sat next to me. "They don't understand," she said.

"No, they don't." I knew she was talking about the bureaucracy in Canberra. "They think they run things. They only move a few things around. No one is the center of the universe. There are some people who think that they are. They think the world and the stars revolve around them. They think that everyone should dance to their whims. They're wrong."

"Right. But we need to think about what to do."

"What are our finances like?"

Weena laughed. "Generally?"

"Yes. For now."

"Well. The house is clear. It's worth about a million and a quarter. Perhaps a bit more. We've got about half a million in ING mutual funds, but they've been taken over by ANZ Banking. We got a notice that even the name would remain for now. We've got a bit under $100,000 in the savings bank and about 15 in the chequing account. All my retirement funds are with Colonial First State. And I can't recall where the CSIRO stashes your funds." She took in a breath. "And there are savings accounts that your parents and Dad set up for the kids."

"That's a lot of money."

"Yes. Now what are you thinking?"

"Well, if worst came to worst, I could tell them to stuff it."

She laughed. "Easily. And I'm certain you'd be employable. But let's sleep on it."

I didn't feel any better about things in the morning. Well, we wouldn't have financial problems for several years, but that wasn't everything. As I drove in I considered my alternatives. I could do research, academic or industrial. I could apply for academic posts — if there were any. I could make some money at Channel 7. Freelance research? Wine growers? Foresters? I parked and took the pouch back to my office. My new companion. I was sitting at my desk when Mona arrived.