He politely declined the fried sausage on a bed of Tip Top white bread and burned onions. The elderly Rotarians competently manned the sausage sizzle. They smiled at him and passed him a cold beer from the ice-filled garbage bin. The Rotary Club’s new Sri Lankan president was flanked by Chun Hei, the vice-president and a former Korean beautician from Burwood. She used to manicure Nala, Priya and Smrithi’s eyebrows. Business had obviously been good for her. She wore her casual clothing with a heavy gold necklace and a jewelled pendant the size of a fish cutlet. Her eyebrows were immaculately drawn.

Siva seated Rajan and Nala at the president’s table next to Nandan, Shiranthi and members of the Rotary’s Executive Committee. He then left to mingle with his constituents. An old man leaned over with his hand outstretched.

‘Michael Bennett—I’m very pleased to meet you. Siva has told me so much about you both. I’m the Treasurer here.’

‘Thank you, Michael, it’s very nice to meet you too.’ He paused and tried to remember some social formalities. He hadn’t met new people for a while.

‘Have you been the Treasurer for a long time?’ he asked. Nala smiled her approval.

‘Oh, a very long time. I was Treasurer from 1994 to 1998 and then again from 2002 to 2006 and now. This will be my last term; I’m far too old, but Siva nominated me. We’ve been attending Rotary together for years, decades—ever since he arrived here. He’s an excellent Rotarian,’ Michael said.

‘Thank you, Michael, we’re very proud of him. The Rotary Club does excellent work,’ Nala said, seizing an opportunity to speak. ‘Your charity work is very important.’

‘Thank you, Nala,’ he replied. ‘It’s interesting you raise that. Siva has asked us to consider supporting the detainees at Christmas Island.’ He paused while a young man offered them a plate of green rolls. Rajan peered at the food.

‘It’s dolma, rice and mince meat wrapped in vine leaves—it’s a Greek specialty. My mother made it,’ the young man explained.

Rajan remembered—the evening had a theme, ‘Foods of the World, Foods of Australia’. It was Priya’s idea; as the reluctant First Lady of the inner-west chapter of the Rotary, she was anxiously in charge of catering.

‘Thank you, it looks delicious,’ he said, taking one.

Michael continued, ‘Siva would like the Rotary to donate schoolbooks to children detained at Christmas Island and the other detention centres. He thinks we should even try to fund a teacher at one of these centres. What do you think?’

Rajan was surprised. Siva hadn’t mentioned the idea to him at any of their weekly dinners.