Downstream

dreaded it. But my mum liked
getting away from things, the
stresses of everyday life, and
we spent a lot of summer
days swimming against the
current and crossing over to
the canoe club. In the
evenings there were pleasure
boats with disco lights
flashing and there was me, a
thirteen-year-old, and people
looking out of the windows
thinking, “what the hell is he
doing?” As I grew older, I got