Both Hashwini and Euu Ki broke out into giggles. Euu Ki reached out to pinch the young man on his shoulder and said, “Don’t worry, darling. I am as indigenous as char kway teow. And as yummy too.”

The young man flinched at Euu Ki’s touch but did his best to smile cordially. “In that case, please proceed to the area near the stage. If you will excuse me, I need to go around and usher the migrant workers out of the park. They have turned up in support of Migrant Workers Count Too and it is a pity but they are not allowed near the stage.”

Hashwini pulled Euu Ki away from the young man and hissed fiercely, “Behave yourself or I swear I will call in the police on you.”

“Ooi, do call in the hunky bugger on the standee. He can cuff me up and do to me whatever he pleases.”

The two of them squeezed through the throng till they reached the foot of the stage. A well-dressed man in his thirties was addressing the crowd. He spoke with confidence and assurance, and his impeccable enunciation was evidence of the privileged education he might have received in some foreign institute of higher learning. The crowd listened intently, but there was a general lack of passion and vigour that one associated with political protests.

“I know who this guy is.” Euu Ki nudged Hashwini and whispered.

“Who is he?”

“He is a corporate lawyer and a high-profile gay activist. His name is Kuan Eng. But what many people do not know is that his boyfriend is the son of a high-profile MP.”

“Which one?” Hashwini’s eyes were rounded.

“I am sorry, darling, but I can’t tell you,” Euu Ki said. “We in the gay community protect our own.”

Hashwini shut her mouth and pretended to pay attention to the speaker on stage. She knew her best friend well enough to know that the most effective way to extract a secret out of him was to feign disinterest. And sure enough, it took all of two minutes to break the code of gay brotherhood.

“Remember the SARS crisis ten years ago? There was a doctor who became a national hero because he identified the first SARS patient and single-handedly saved Singapore from annihilation. That’s the one.”

“Who? The boyfriend?”

“No! The father!” Euu Ki hissed irritably. “He subsequently ran for election and became an MP. You have got to brush up on your politics, girl!”