Illandra sat down to her bowl of stew, rabbit and cabbage, one of her favourites.

“Rabbit, Filomena?” she asked, “What’s the occasion?”

“Felt like rabbit.” Filomena answered through a mouthful of cabbage. “You find yourself a man yet?”

Illandra groaned, “No.” Illandra’s maidenhood was a frequent topic of discussion at the table. Filomena was a firm believer that prolonged virginity was the cause of facial warts, and was sure that Illandra had only a year or two left before her first would appear.

“You best get on that, it’ll only get harder if your first wart comes in.”

Illandra forced her eyes down to look at her bowl rather than at FIlomena’s blemishes.