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“The waiters here are like the planet Pluto,” Andrew said. “They orbit on the periphery, only making an appearance every twentieth year, and even then are impossible to glimpse with the naked eye.”
If you’re Aboriginal the chances of ending up in prison are twenty-six times greater than for any other Australian.
The original Jim Chivers led a boxing team that traveled round the whole country to rallies and fairs after the Second World War. Many of those who went on to become boxing champions were from Jimmy’s team. There was always a variety of nationalities—Chinese, Italians, Greeks. And Aboriginals. In those days volunteers could choose who they wanted to box. So, for example, if you were an anti-Semite, you could pick out a Jew. Even though the chances of being beaten up by a Jew were pretty high.” Harry chuckled. “Doesn’t that just stoke up racism?” “Maybe. Maybe not. Australians are used to
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They shook hands and Harry felt as if his hand had been trapped in a door. He groaned a “How are you?” and received an “Absolutely magnificent, mate—how are you yourself?” and a gleaming smile by way of an answer. “Never better,” Harry said, massaging his hand. These Australian handshakes were crippling him. According to Andrew, it was important to say how unimaginably well things were going; a bland “fine, thanks” could be interpreted as very cold.
“She was the kind that’s hard-faced when you meet her, but she’s as soft as butter if you tickle her under the chin and tell her you love her. Then she can’t do enough for you.”
“In traditional crime fiction every detective with any self-respect has an unfailing nose for when people are lying. It’s bullshit! Human nature is a vast impenetrable forest which no one can know in its entirety. Not even a mother knows her child’s deepest secrets.”
“The flower-power generation has grown up. They have adult jobs, adult incomes, but their hearts are somewhere on an astral planet.”
Love is a greater mystery than death.”
