Fried Rice Football And Short Change (Part 3)
Jett turns up with Min-Su for the Football show, Keith rings twice, and a Chinese food order at Bradbury shops leaves Tony twenty dollars down. Tony then closes out the month with a short farewell to August.
Jewell On My Mind And New Hound Dog Clothes (Part 2)
A stray thought of Jewell sours Tony’s afternoon, so he escapes to Hound Dog and tries on shirts and parachute pants. After work he walks to the station with Najla, Linh and Thao and notices a girl on the platform.
A Wound Back Clock And Karina’s Dictaphone (Part 1)
Tony reflects on a month of changing friendships, then lives through a Friday that begins with a wrongly wound alarm clock. At HIH he chats with Gawain, Jonas, Karina and Ottilie and tries typing from a Dictaphone.
Bridge Street Gym Access And A Late Call
Tony and Linh visit Ulick in claims to ask about gym access on Bridge Street. After lunch in Hyde Park and a bus ride home, Lyssa rings late and Tony muses on his endless diary.
Kelsey Faces Losing Her Job
Tony learns Tatiana is quitting and will not be replaced, which leaves Kelsey and Edith worried about their jobs. Later he sits with Karina, who chatters about health fads and her views on David.
Photocopier Jams And Lynx Compliments (Part 6)
A broken photocopier leads Tony to Linh’s old friend and a chat with Thalia. He enjoys Karina’s honest compliments, pesters Shayma by phone, overhears Gawain and walks to the station with Kelsey.
Selma’s Farewell At The Pontoon Bar (Part 5)
Hesitant at first, Tony leads Rhett, Thao and Linh to Selma’s farewell at the Pontoon Bar. After chips, snooker and a short chat with Selma in the sun, the group hurries back to work.
A Girl On The Train And Jana’s Bad Mood (Part 4)
Tony recalls a train ride beside a girl in a short skirt and a round of phone calls to Imad, Tyler and Nero. Back at work, Najla’s laziness and a muddled request from Jana sour his day.
Waiting For The New Legal Floater (Part 3)
Tony catches up on his week at HIH, where the girls expect a handsome new legal floater and get Karina instead. He hears about Thalia’s work camp, listens to Najla on the phone and shoots pool at lunch.
Optometrists And A Wrecked Commodore (Part 2)
Tony is knocked back at two optometrists before visiting Imad. Playing Gridiron with Tyler, he hears a crash outside and the two jog down to watch emergency crews work on a stolen Commodore.
Secondhand Fumes And A Workout With Nero (Part 1)
Tony wakes up reflecting on a hilarious night of secondhand fumes with Nero, Tyler and Imad. He then recalls training with Nero, riding into Campbelltown in tight new shoes and running into Lonnie.
Boot Tapper At Rogues (Part 5)
A near brawl fades at Rogues and Tony gets back in with his sunglasses. After a quick look at Byblos in the rain the three drive home, and Tony spends Saturday waiting on plans that fall through again.
Rogues On Oxford Street (Part 4)
After a failed look at Sweeney’s, the three head up the highway to Rogues on Oxford Street. Tony watches the crowd, a showy blonde dancer and a Lebanese guy who gets brushed off.
Contact Lenses And A Bachelor Pad (Part 3)
On Saturday morning Tony helps Jett borrow a wheelbarrow, puts up with Keith and orders new contact lenses. He then returns to Friday night and the stylish Ingleburn house where Nero keeps a snake and a puppy.
Turned Away At Chevy’s Door (Part 2)
Without tickets, Tony, Tyler and Nero are refused entry at Chevy’s by Jonah and his fellow bouncers. They meet an old school friend, try a dead Queen Street Bar and finally pop the car door open.
Dead Plans And Keys Locked In The Car (Part 1)
Tony dreams two odd dreams and recalls a Friday night that went wrong from the start. Tyler, Nero and Tony reach Queen Street in Nero’s new car, only to lock the keys inside.
Dressed To Rock Chevy’s On A Friday Night
Tony is pumped for a Friday night at Chevy’s, wearing a new black shirt from Hound Dog and practising dance moves in his room. He waits for Jett to arrive and hopes Nero and Tyler will come along.
Goodbye To Selma And A Chico Roll Bargain (Part 2)
Tony drinks orange juice with Jonas and his friend, catches a few words with Selma and leaves without the kiss either of them wanted. Back in Campbelltown he haggles a chico roll, watches the football and waits for Chevy’s.
A Cold Office And A Farewell At The City Hotel (Part 1)
Tony trades cold silences with Najla and notes he is finally making friends with women at work. After work he heads to Selma’s farewell with Linh and Thao, wins a little on the pokies and feels snubbed by Matthias.
Najla Hides From The Door And Esme’s Farewell (Part 2)
Tony gets his biggest shock yet from a filing cabinet and grows tired of Najla dodging visitors and filing. After lunch in Circular Quay he sneaks out on Esme’s farewell to meet Linh and Thao at the City Hotel.
Gym Night And Selma Jogs To Catch Up (Part 1)
After a good workout and a supplement shop visit, Tony starts writing up Friday. Selma jogs up to chat on the way to work, and later he thaws towards Manny while Najla stalls on the phone.
Photocopier Chats And A Walk With Selma (Part 3)
At HIH Tony talks with Manny at the photocopier, sorts out a delivery misunderstanding with Jana and finally learns Selma’s real name. He then introduces her to Najla and walks to the station with them.
A Pleasant Train Ride With Lyssa (Part 2)
Tony races for the morning train and finds Lyssa sitting beside him for once. They chat about her weekend, her failed car deal and Naqi’s troubles before he gets a goodbye kiss on the cheek.
Spare Cash, A Gurgling Toilet And Lone Rider Thoughts (Part 1)
Tony feels rich on tax money and home cooking, then Jett rides over in a bright yellow jacket for a game of Driver and talk of skirmish. A bubbling toilet and a long think about being a lone rider fill the rest of the night.
Najla Dodges Filing And Lyssa Brushes Me Off (Part 2)
Tony arrives late at HIH to find Najla dodging the filing again, then shares a food court lunch with Linh, Thao and Rhett. He closes by recalling a curt phone call from Lyssa and a joke with Jana about a spare chair.
A Master Plan And A Smooth Talker On The Train (Part 1)
Tony works out a savings plan for a laptop and a car and dreams up a project where people write their thoughts about him. On the Thursday train he watches a suited stranger charm a girl into handing over her phone number.
Lost On Macquarie Street (Part 5)
Wednesday brings four errands, a shared cab with David and a long search for a doctor’s office on Macquarie Street. At lunch Tony spots Lyssa with Bronte and Penelope, and back at work he meets Sorrel.
Gridiron 99 With Tyler (Part 4)
A quiet Sunday night brings the football tables, a fried rice run and a close Gridiron 99 match against Tyler. Late on, Lyssa phones to scold Tony again and tells him about Hakim and Johnnie at Chevy’s.
Mail Runs And A Girl In Sketchers (Part 3)
A busy Tuesday brings briefs, mail runs and lunch in the food court with Linh and Thao. On the train home Tony chats with a blonde girl in Sketchers shoes, then catches up with Cara at Campbelltown.
Two Fifty For Lyssa And A Red Sweater (Part 2)
Lyssa sits beside Tony on the train only to ask for lunch money, then mentions the $4,000 Charade she will buy. At work Tony trails a girl in a red polo neck sweater before helping Kelsey with her luggage.
Lyssa Is Cold About Her Birthday (Part 1)
Tony is behind on his memoirs when Jett, Shawn and Imad ring about skirmish and the movies. Lyssa then calls to scold him for not phoning on her birthday and tells him about the car she plans to buy.
Snipers Ferrets And A Last Stand (Part 5)
Tony hides in a fern as a sniper, gets picked off from behind and later scares a timid player with a gas discharge. After a charge on a flag, an every man for himself game ends with Tony shooting Tyler, and the muddy group drives home.
Hidden Snipers Around The Flag (Part 4)
On the Vietnam village course Tony and Jett work hut to hut, and a timid player in a flak jacket draws their scorn. For the final game the three friends dig into the bushes around their flag and hold it with hand signals and patience.
Jungle Logs And A Free Barbecue (Part 3)
The games move into the bush, where Tony’s fogged goggles, a surrender at a toppled log and a game of Terminator fill the morning. After a free barbecue lunch his gun jams in the fortress game and he charges down a steep hill with Jett.
Gaffer Tape And A Tire Maze (Part 2)
Tony pays his registration, finds his gun works differently from everyone else’s and crawls into his first games among stacked tires. After a daring leap over a stream he ends up under the enemy flag, then loses his box and chases Tyler.
Backlog Blues And A Wrong Turn (Part 1)
Tony admits he is six days behind and sets off for a skirmish day in Helensburgh in Shawn’s Ute, with Jett navigating badly and a few wrong turns on the way. Back at the diary, he reflects on his new friendship with Nero and plans a Playstation night.
Keith Overstays His Welcome (Part 2)
Tony and Jett spend a Saturday on movies, pies and Playstation until Keith turns up chasing money and will not leave. Later Imad rings about a mouse driver and the trouble he has had at work.
New Shirts, a Raise and Plans for Chevy’s (Part 1)
Tony wonders about a pay rise, tries on shirts in the City and grabs Chinese takeaway at Bradbury. He then rings Tyler, Nero and Ace about Friday night at Chevy’s, where Ace offers cheap clothes of dubious origin.
The Girl in the Next Seat at the Movies (Part 3)
Tony joins Jett, Min-Su and Maddox at the cinema, where a girl seated next to him seems more interested in him than her jealous boyfriend. He ends the night writing up the evening.
Banana Fritters and Keith’s Catholic Club Call (Part 2)
Tony wanders Queen Street hungry, chats with a local shopkeeper and rides a bus with a driver who blasts music. At home he turns down Keith’s call, then dresses up to meet Jett for the movies.
Overloaded at Work and a Noisy Train Home (Part 1)
Tony is swamped with errands and filing at HIH and blames Najla for the slack. He plans how to spend a $265 cheque, then spots Harley and sits near a loud blonde girl and her friends on the train home.
Jana and the Typewriter Disaster (Part 3)
Jana turns a simple page numbering job into an hour of white out, photocopying and laughter, and Tony notices a spark when their fingers touch. He ends the day thinking about his memoirs and Anneliese’s honeymoon plans.
Lunch With Linh and the Jogging Man (Part 2)
Tony delivers a document to Work-Cover and is invited to lunch with Linh and the others, proving he is accepted in the group. They laugh at a man jogging on the spot, and Tony eats pasta thick with parmesan.
A Girl With a Mole and a Quiet Friday (Part 1)
Tony watches the girl with the mole on the morning train, now with reddish hair, then does the mail at HIH while Najla is away. He learns what her college course costs and spends the day filing.
Imad’s News and a Call From Lyssa (Part 7)
Unable to reach Lyssa, Tony phones Imad and hears shocking news about Naqi and Penelope. When Lyssa calls back she dodges the subject, describes her Sunday out with Ivan and talks about her birthday plans.
Pool Shots and a Supreme Court Run (Part 6)
At lunch Linh draws out a wad of cash and Tony embarrasses himself at pool against Thao and Rhett. Back at work he is sent to the Supreme Court, where counters, payphones and queues eat a frustrating hour.
A Mask and Missing Transparencies (Part 5)
Staying home, Tony writes a long reflection on how clothes and gadgets have become a mask. He then retells a Thursday of running out of transparencies, being blamed and finding Jana’s lost file.
Linh Plays Romeo and a Girl in Red (Part 4)
Walking to the station, Tony watches Linh charm Delphi while Rhett sulks beside him. On the platform a woman in a red sweater catches his eye all the way to Glenfield, before he describes a quiet day at home.
A Sleepy Induction Meeting With Jana (Part 3)
Tony pays Najla back with a slow hand on the outgoing mail before heading upstairs with Jana. The induction meeting turns up sick leave perks, an incentive scheme legal staff are not part of and a drowsy company video.
Football Heartbreak and Linh’s Big Loan (Part 2)
Tony relives Brisbane’s heartbreaking draw with Manly from the back of Shawn’s Ute. At a Wednesday food court lunch Linh brags about his approved loan and Tony thinks about credit cards and his future car.
Awful Chairs and a Girl on the Train (Part 1)
Staying home with aching legs, Tony starts the tale of last Wednesday. A girl on the train, plans for a laptop and a rematch of the liter argument with Najla lead to ten stiff new chairs the legal staff reject.
A Cold Shoulder and Nikita on the Train (Part 3)
Tony worries that Kelsey and Zenia have been talking about him. On the train home he spots a woman and her man who sound wrong but look exactly like Nikita, until she steps off at Ingleburn and says hello.
Pokies at Lunch With Linh and the Gang (Part 2)
Tony chats with Jonas on his birthday and hears Linh’s story of a food court clash. He worries the lunch group is shutting him out, then joins them watching Linh play a lucky run on the pokies.
Beeping at Girls and a Liter Dispute (Part 1)
After a skirmish day out with Shawn and Jett, Tony reflects on his gray Tuesday at work. He argues with Najla over whether a liter always weighs a kilogram and loses his nerve to help a blonde law clerk.
Lyssa on a Pedestal and a Train Ride Home (Part 3)
Tony writes out his long list of complaints about Lyssa and her need to win arguments. After an odd day at HIH and a flirty train ride home, he finds the Playstation Jett left with him is stealing hours from his memoirs.
Calla’s Farewell and a Rejected Lunch (Part 2)
Najla’s late arrival irritates Tony, while a chat with Calla in the photocopier room ends in an invitation to her farewell. Lyssa turns down lunch, so he takes his sushi to Hyde Park and watches a couple kiss under the fig tree.
Brown Paper and Barrister Blunders (Part 1)
Tony expects Jett to drop in while he writes up a Monday at HIH. Margot and Jana both pick at his work, and with the big envelopes gone he talks the mailroom out of a ream of brown paper.
Famous for My Memoirs and Bobby Twoshoos (Part 2)
Jana asks how much Tony writes each night, and he shows her his coded notes and explains why his memoirs will make him famous. He leaves with a joke about a stage name and looks ahead to Skirmish.
Opals and an Appraisal With Jana (Part 1)
Behind on his diary, Tony goes back to the appraisal Jana gave him in Margot’s empty room. He jokes about opals from a vending machine before the talk turns to why people at work are curious about his memoirs.
Bradbury Bus Chat and Skirmish Drama (Part 3)
Buoyed by the train conversation, Tony strikes up a chat with Rosamund at the bus stop and on the Bradbury bus. At home, calls with Jett and Tyler end with the friends turning against Keith.
Chatting With Ondine on the Leumeah Train (Part 2)
Tony squeezes into a seat beside Ondine and works up the nerve to talk. She tells him about her Appin property, her vandalised Barina and her 21st birthday, and says goodbye at Leumeah.
Politix Shoes and an Empty Train Seat (Part 1)
Feeling like the office culprit, Tony heads for Pitt Street to chase a refund on his worn shoes, passing a TV weatherman along the way. On the train he talks himself into claiming the one free seat.
Pub Lunch and Mace at the Station (Part 3)
At a pub near work Tony eats a pricey fish burger with his colleagues and returns a chair to two girls. After a chat with Delphi and Mireille he meets Mace on the platform, then Jett drops by for a microphone.
Jeans Day and Najla’s Dawdling (Part 2)
Tony jokes about his birthday with Jana on Jeans for Jeans day, then watches Najla dodge the filing while Thalia loses patience. He also senses an unspoken attraction between Najla and Linh.
Dancing, Skirmish Plans and Old Burnouts (Part 1)
Tony dances around his room in new glasses, then talks Skirmish transport with Shawn and Tyler as the old group drifts apart. He recounts a Friday that began with a missed bus and ended with an olive branch to the mailroom.
Mailroom Standoff and a Pricey Vest (Part 3)
A tense delivery to the mailroom leaves Tony furious, so he heads to Pitt Street to buy a vest and hears a shop assistant’s lost watch story. He buys glasses at Town Hall and meets Harley on the Campbelltown platform.
Wallet Scare and Chasing Cheerleaders (Part 2)
After a near disaster with a wallet full of cash on the train, Tony puts up with Najla’s slow work and swaps staring games with Jana. At lunch he follows Rhett and the gridiron guys to Darling Harbor only to find no cheerleaders.
A Yearly Rose For Jewell (Part 1)
A Lebanese couple on a lunch break sets Tony thinking about Jewell and the rose tradition he wants to start at the fig tree in Hyde Park. A tense phone call with Lyssa then confirms that Penelope has dumped Naqi.
Broken Heels and Legs on the Train (Part 2)
After lunch in the park watching a live band, Tony chats with Delphi and fails to mend Shayma’s broken heel. The train home is full of women, one of whom touches his knee with her skirt.
Driver, Kisses and Jana’s Flirty Chair (Part 1)
Tony blames a Driver binge for his late diary and goes back over Wednesday at HIH, where Jana’s playful chair games remind him of Lyssa. Najla’s laziness over the filing keeps irritating him.
Lyssa Stays the Night (Part 6)
Lyssa turns up by taxi at 1 a.m. and tells Tony why Imad upset her. After a restless night she rushes off to Penelope, and Tony loses the afternoon to Driver and turns down Shawn’s movie.
Late Night at Mobil With Tatton (Part 5)
Tony and Shawn visit Tatton on shift at Mobil and the whole group gradually turns up. They freeze out Keith, tease Simon, and swap barbs with Phoenix and Sonya before heading home.
Playstation Night and Two Calls (Part 4)
Tony and Shawn pick up Jett’s Playstation, give him a lift and ring Tatton on the hands free kit. Lyssa rings twice during the game session, leaving Tony awkward in front of Shawn.
Eight Laps at Bradbury Pools (Part 3)
After fish and chips Tony and Shawn swim eight and ten laps at Bradbury Pools. In the spa they talk through Ralf’s dress sense, Keith’s fall from favour and the coming skirmish.
Naqi in Trouble and a Hair Wash (Part 2)
Lyssa rings to ask for Imad’s number after Penelope and Naqi fall out. Tony then goes back to Saturday, when a salon junior washed his hair and he and Shawn mocked a boy on a push bike.
Shawn’s Ute and Lyssa’s Late Call (Part 1)
Tony decides clubs are dead and spends a Saturday cruising Campbelltown with Shawn in his work ute. By 2 a.m. Lyssa has rung to ask for a hug and a place to stay.
Black Fly Sunglasses and a Call From Shawn
Tony shows off his new Black Fly sunglasses and takes a call from Shawn about the Broncos and Parramatta. They plan a trip to Campbelltown, a movie and a Playstation night.
Broncos Thriller and Lyssa Sitting With Naqi
Tony cheers the Broncos to a last-minute win over the Roosters and muses about his writing. His Wednesday train ride to work turns sour when Lyssa and Naqi sit in view.
Wardens, Supplements and Lyssa Calling (Part 3)
At the end of the day Najla tells Tony about her house and engagement. On the way home he dodges train wardens, eyes cheap supplements and gets an unexpected apology call from Lyssa.
Lunch With Linh and Joselyn Loves Tony (Part 2)
Najla takes the court run Tony wanted, so he goes to lunch with Linh, Thao and Elias. Back at work, Thalia criticises Najla and Joselyn loudly says she loves Tony.
A Slow Bus and Najla’s Mountain of Filing (Part 1)
Tony’s keyboard is dying, his bus is late and a freckled girl catches his eye on the train. At HIH he does most of the filing while Najla slips away from hers.
Carrying Caitlin’s Luggage To Central (Part 4)
As the train nears Central, Tony learns about Caitlin’s bar job, her family troubles and her plans to return home. He hauls her wheeled bag to the Brisbane train, hugs her goodbye and heads off for a movie swap.
Caitlin And The Green Contact Lenses (Part 3)
Tony carries Caitlin’s luggage downstairs and spends an hour of easy, cocky conversation with her. They talk glasses, hair, Jett and her life in Brisbane while he quietly admires how much she has changed.
Tax Agent, Imad And Caitlin Appears (Part 2)
Tony visits a smelly tax agent, runs into Imad on Queen Street and heads into the city for a movie swap. At Campbelltown Station he sees Caitlin, whom he has not met for years, and remembers choosing Clover over her.
City Rail Swallows My Ticket (Part 1)
Tony starts the day fuming at City Rail after seeing Lyssa on the train and then losing his ticket to a machine. A long runaround with station staff over his concession card only makes the month feel worse.
Breakfast In Bed And Train Prices (Part 3)
Tony wakes on his day off and phones Lyssa, who was meant to be at work. A hint about breakfast in bed turns into an argument about train prices, and he ends the night promising himself an earlier sleep.
Contact Lenses, Gossip And Black Wax (Part 2)
Lyssa tells Tony a contact lens horror story about Penelope and describes her night out with Ivan, while Tony reads far too much into her calls. He ends the night at the piano, wondering about the black wax invitation from Min-Su.
Chest Day And Lyssa’s Retro Night (Part 1)
Tony catches up on Sunday with a light gym session, a mixed-up Chinese order and a go at the piano. Then Lyssa rings for a long call about a Saturday night at Retro ruined by Naqi’s temper.
Cake And A Fishing Reel (Part 4)
On David’s birthday Tony runs more errands, eats cake in the kitchen and hears a surprising bit of philosophy from the birthday boy. After a hotel toast and a fishing reel present, Tony turns down Keith’s offer to go out.
Hungry Jacks And The Bank Mistake (Part 3)
Tony is sent on errands before David’s birthday party and ends up in a lunch group that cannot decide where to eat. At the bank a confused teller hands him twenty dollars of twenty cent coins by mistake.
The Girl On The Bus (Part 2)
After a lunch that leaves Najla out, Tony heads home and is trailed up his street by a blonde girl from the bus. The next morning he rushes for the late train and eyes the blonde with the mole on the platform.
Break It Tony And The Legal Meeting (Part 1)
Tony looks back on a Thursday at HIH where he jams the photocopier and gets labelled the Break It guy by Jana. He then joins the legal department meeting on level eight, where complaints about chairs, slow computers and pay come up.
A Sonnet For Jewell To Start August
After watching Romeo and Juliet twice, Tony writes a fresh sonnet inspired by Jewell and reflects on the soul mate he never really had. He ends the night early, promising a longer account of his trip to the City tomorrow.