A loving evocation of a time and environment that may have slipped away. Valma, verging on midlife, wants a baby with her partner Joe, who is a gentle, loving and well-meaning wannabe writer, but who has had absolutely no success in achieving self-sustainability, and is far from a good prospect as a reliable father. Even when he tries really hard, he finds himself in the job from hell ('a chicken factory? - is that where they make chickens?'). Alphonse is a 'businessman' who has 'a new business every year'. This year his main income comes from arranging 'marriages of convenience' ("when was marriage ever convenient??" - Alphonse) to help new immigrants fast-track to Australian residency and citizenship.