he strode anxiously up and down the deck, his head thrust forward, calculating the water, the deck cabins, the child looking through a key-hole, watching soft-porn, all those years, the collective hallucinations, he walked on, level with the sea-front, the calm waters of the harbour, he went below. * I might have guessed, before the war,
was going to ask about everything, it was a flying accident,
on the repertory circuit in Coventry, he met my mother, was married at the time, it was a great romance, greatly disapproved of my family his divorce came through, two years later, he was killed, I can look quite tragic when I need to, mother gave me his ring, ‘Thank you’ I said, his hopes were dashed, he got up and disappeared, I found myself thinking, she could have made peace, she devoted herself to my education, I think about the sacrifice, there have been compensations, her triumph, how I hoped, there was less than expected, she was able to retire, to enjoy some leisure, I imagine her making plans, a little trip abroad,
giving an illustrated talk.
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