I tried to calm my nerves as I climbed into the front seat of Jedda’s car, once again tugging down my skirt. I’d met a few of the locals so far during my weeks in Ragged Point. I frequently saw Sam and her parents at the general store, knew my neighbours, some of the regulars that came into the cafe, and Dan, of course—but I wasn’t sure meeting the rest of them dressed like this was the best way to make a good first impression.

As we walked towards the building and joined the others heading for the hall, my nerves subsided a little. Everyone else was also dressed in goofy costumes—many much more outrageous than ours. Even before we’d stepped inside, I’d seen a couple of Dame Ednas, a bottle of Emu Export, a shark with a surfer’s arm in its mouth, a couple of koala onesies and even someone dressed as Jeanne Little in her famous garbage bag dress! Jedda seemed to know everyone and took it upon herself to introduce me.

‘This is Ashling; she’s new to the Point and she’s been a lifesaver for me these past few weeks. If it wasn’t for Ash, I’m not sure when I’d have managed to get the Reporter out again.’

Everyone was extremely friendly, but now I had a new panic. How the hell was I going to remember all their names? If only we were all wearing badges.

Aussie classics blared from speakers on either side of the stage, where two people dressed as B1 and B2 were bent over a clipboard in deep conversation. There had to be about twenty tables set up, all rapidly filling with people. Drinks were BYO but you could buy snacks through a hatch off the main hall that opened into the kitchen.

Jedda led us to a table near the front where two of her Brewed Awakening employees were already sitting. I said hi to Cassie and Gail, who I already knew, and was introduced to Gail’s husband Jim. Cassie had come dressed as Mr Squiggle and Gail and Jim were wearing handmade costumes—she a koala and Jim a tree.

I laughed as she clung to him. ‘Very creative.’

After we’d gushed over each other’s outfits, we discussed our trivia strategy. Jim apparently had the music covered, Gail the sport, Jedda the history and geography, and Cassie announced herself as a ‘walking pop culture encyclopedia’.

‘What’s your area of expertise?’ Gail asked me.

‘Um …’ I racked my brain for something useful but was thankfully saved from answering by Terri Irwin (or at least someone dressed like her) bumping into my chair.

‘Oh, I’m so sorry,’ she said, not sounding as if she meant it in the slightest; she’d already continued on before I could reply.