‘The one-pot pasta Asian-style is really hearty if you’re looking to refuel. If you’re not too hungry then perhaps the rice paper rolls with mango and mint.’

Jack took a long swallow of tonic water and wanted to choke. A beer would’ve been much better. Finally, he said, ‘I’ll have the pasta.’

‘No problem.’

The café was beginning to fill up and Josh looked like he was getting ready to take the floor.

‘Is this seat taken?’

Jack had watched Sophie and Lee come in a few minutes before, but there weren’t any chairs left.

‘Be my guest,’ he waved. ‘Got a meeting on or something?’

Sophie nodded. ‘We meet here every couple of weeks.’

‘What do you meet about?’

‘Hey, Lee, can you give me a hand with this PowerPoint, please?’ Josh called out.

‘Excuse me,’ Lee said and went to help.

‘We’re called Voices for Animals,’ Sophie answered.

‘Sounds interesting. What do you do?’

‘Raise awareness of animal cruelty.’

Jack leaned back in his chair and looked her. ‘Is that right? Well, well, well.’

Kristen arrived with his meal. ‘Let me know if you like it,’ she said.

‘Looks great,’ he answered. He turned his attention back to Sophie. ‘So what do you have to do to join Voices for Animals?’

‘Pay a membership fee and be prepared to protest. We’re non-violent; we don’t make any trouble, just make people aware.’

‘Hmm.’ Jack didn’t say anything else but picked up his fork and shovelled in a mouthful of the pasta. It was good.

‘Right, ladies and gents, if I could have your attention,’ Josh called out. ‘I have some footage to show you of some saleyards south of Adelaide.’

Jack watched as a protester with a video camera on his hat walked through the yards. It was cold and raining, so it had to have been last winter. It hadn’t rained at all this year as far as Jack knew.

The vision switched from one side of the race to the other, cattle on either side.

‘Hey, who are you, what are you doing here?’ A voice came from somewhere off camera. ‘Mate, you’re not allowed cameras in here. Didn’t you see the signs?’

The cameraman didn’t say a word, just kept walking, capturing footage of cattle. Most looked in pretty good nick to Jack, so he couldn’t see what the problem was.

‘Mate, you can’t be here with that camera!’

Again, the protester didn’t say a word, but the camera stayed on until the end of the saleyards, when he took off his hat and turned off the camera.

To Jack it seemed very strange, but the room went up in a loud roar of appreciation. A man whose face Jack didn’t know was clapped on the back and people shook his hands. He stood up and raised his arm in thanks, then sat back down.