narratorAUSTRALIA Volume One

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  Across town, in an apartment in Montclair, another couple were having a prickly conversation on the same topic.

  Lydia was saying, ‘You’re never there for me, Stanislav.’

  ‘That’s because you’re always all over the place. I can’t be everywhere at once.’

  Irritably, Lydia said, ‘I don’t think you even try.’

  Looking at his watch, Stanislav said, ‘Well, it’s just after one. Where will you be for the rest of the afternoon?’

  ‘You know I can’t possibly tell you that,’ Lydia said. ‘My life’s a chaos. I could be anywhere.’

  ‘This is what I’m saying.’

  ‘And all I’m saying is, you could at least try.’

  ‘Well, maybe I could follow you around for a while,’ Stanislav said, and he went to get his coat.

  In a tone that carried more than a hint of sarcasm, Lydia said, ‘Good luck with that.’

  ‘What do you mean by that?’ Stanislav said, coming back with his coat and scarf, but Lydia had already gone.