In The Ghost Town Where We Live

Oh, Supergroove, so short-lived, so awesome. “Sitting Inside My Head” is probably my favourite of all the songs I used for chapter titles. It is so indelibly funky.

This title opens Chapter Three, and has thematic resonance I can’t tell you about, so instead I will share a cookie with Kevin in it, because he hasn’t had any screen time yet, and I like him a lot.

MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD

Everyone perked up and bounced towards the greenroom – except Reka, who apparently did not bounce; me, who was largely uninterested; and Kevin, who lagged behind to speak to me.

“Don’t you want to play dress-up?” I asked.

“Oh, I do,” he said, grinning. “I was holding out for Theseus in a feather cloak, but none of the local elders wanted to lend a taonga* that precious to a bunch of ignorant students.”

“Theseus is Māori?” I wondered.

Kevin pointed at his chest. “Duh. It’s a reimagining of Shakespeare’s classic comedy for extra extreme relevance to modern new Zealand audiences. Come on, I told you this. Last night.”

“Oh, last night,” I said pointedly. “I think I remember bits of it, before someone got me drunk and nearly expelled and dragged me into his play.”

*taonga = precious, treasured thing, which can be either tangible (like a cloak) or intangible (like language)