Paula recalled her early days at the farm when she’d got the feeling Tom didn’t read or write very well. She’d offered back then to help him but he’d never mentioned it again, till now.

“I could help you fill it out if you like. Then next time you’ll know what to do.”

“I don’t know.” He looked down at his tea. “Mum usually does it.”

“Why don’t we give it a go?” Paula moved to the chair beside him. “This first bit asks for your personal details, name and address, date of birth.” She pointed to the spaces as she spoke. “I’ll get a pen.”

She took a bit of time rummaging in a drawer for a pen to give him the chance to look at the paper, then she returned to sit beside him.

“That’s your family name,” she said pointing to the words.

He bent over the paper and she watched as he slowly printed out the letters M A R C H with a shaky hand.

“Now, this is where you put your given names or Christian names as they’re sometimes called.”

The pen hovered over the page where Paula pointed, then Tom began to print again. Slowly he wrote TOM CLIFFORD DOUGLAS PERCIVAL on the line. Paula stared at the writing.

“Did I spell them right?”

“Yes,” she said and tucked her bottom lip in to hold back her smile.

“I can never remember which way round the ‘o’ and the ‘u’ go in Douglas.”

“That looks right to me.”

“They’re awful, aren’t they?”

Paula looked up into his big brown eyes and saw the insecurity there. He was a man but in some ways still a boy. “What do you mean?”

“The names. Most kids get a simple second name. Mum and the old man must have thought I’d be the last March boy, so I had to have both my grandfathers’ and my father’s names included in mine.”

“I see you’ve written Tom not Thomas.”

“They decided to keep my first name short.”

Paula gave a little grin. “It certainly is a mouthful. No wonder you need help with it.”

“I can do that part but it’s all the other stuff I don’t understand. There’s a whole heap of questions there.” He waved a hand dismissively at the page.

Paula scanned her eyes over the questions. It was very wordy. She could understand the challenge for someone who had difficulty reading.

“How about if I read them out to you? You can tell me what you want to say and I can help you write it.”

“Thanks, Paula. I don’t want to be a bother.”

“It’s no bother. Besides, how many times have you helped me? Remember when you taught me to drive the dual cab and directed me into town. I’d never have done it without you.”