Cirrus@Austlit

The protagonist is blind and needs a wheelchair to move. He imagines colours based on descriptions, many of which were given to him by his dead partner, Mel, who had acquired blindness. He struggles to maneuver around Brisbane city when well-meaning passersby move him without his request, leaving him disoriented.

A man assaults him for being in the way of the entrance to The Coffee Club. A Scottish man, Angus, helps the protagonist back up as Angus's son runs to catch the assaulter. They have a short conversation where the protagonist shares that he doesn't want a carer; Angus agrees.

Once home, the protagonist gets a call from his mother, who's gone on a honeymoon. The mother insists on getting him a full-time carer, and begins to cry, saying she can't handle the burden of caring for him, even though he's been living on his own for the past three years.