Is anybody home?

I'm in the process of vacuuming when the doorbell rings. Mum unfolds herself from her chair and meets a big hulk of a guy wearing a Rotary branded shirt standing there.

I disappear into the kitchen leaving Mum with him.

Mum says hi and he stands there grinning. An awkward silence ensues until mum invites him in. He holds out a little wrapped box, the size of a box of matches, and mum takes it asking, "Is this for me?" He stands there grinning silently.

Mum asks again and he finally says yes. His voice sounds like Brad Garrett.

Mum invites him to sit down so he does. After asking again if she can open it, he says yes so she struggles with the tightly wrapped paper around the box.

Dad was finishing off in the bathroom and, conveniently, spent a few extra minutes doing his hair.

I made a coffee and slurped it quietly in the kitchen.

Eventually, Dad comes in and say g'day. We find out his name is Mike and he's walking around saying hi to the new residents. He lives on the same road as them but at the other end of the Crescent arc. After a few stilted conversations, Mike says his farewell and leaves.

1 minute later the doorbell rings again. It's Mike.

"I left my sheet here." he says. On the table was his list of residents to visit.

He picks it up and wanders away up the hill.

And in the box?

A small penlight. Real helpful when you get a blackout and only want to see 2 inches of floor at a time.