You can have all the riches in the world
But boredom can eat away at your very soul
Are you bored Stan
No
We have a nice apartment here in London
In a way we lead the lives we want
We work hard
We travel hard
My sister is in Egypt at present
The temperature is over one hundred degrees
We are in for a cold snap
Possibly snow
Where is she
Cruising on the Nile
When I was younger I visited Egypt with my family
We sailed down the Nile and visited Kitchener’s Island
Did you visit the pyramids and the Valley of the Kings
Very much
Was it hot
It was in June so you can imagine the heat
But it was superb I remember it clearly
How old were you when you went
Fifteen
I was taken to Palmyra by my parents when I was fifteen
There is a connection between both places
What is that
Daniel Martin
Daniel Martin
Yes
Who is Daniel Martin
It is a book by John Fowles
My mother gave me copy to read on the trip
Oh that Daniel Martin
Yes I have a few first editions over there
What is the connection Stan
The novel is set in both places
And one of the lead characters shares your name
I would like to go on a Nile cruise
I will ask Anne of her experience
We could be Daniel and Jane instead of Stan and Jane
Sounds fun
I think that travel is the fluid of the soul Stan
That is very profound
We have travelled and not travelled
Our jobs take us here and there
But we have not really travelled
I would like to up sticks and travel the world
Quit our jobs and just fuck off
I agree but a great deal of our income comes from our jobs
We are in a prison with transparent walls
Rather like this apartment
It has commanding views
But it is also a prison
Stan
What
Are you off to La La Land again
All I am saying is that our lifestyle is governed by our income
It is as simple as that
The flip side is that we could just exist
Trapped on a awful crime ridden council estate
I love your social consciousness Jane
Jane Jane spoilt little Jane
Your parents warned me about you
Fuck you Stan
Accepted
(Jane Smiles are playfully kicks Stan with her bare feet)
Who is Jane Smiles
She is a typo
The writer made an error
This fiction has been carelessly edited
Do you know I took Mandy to St P the other week just to show her the beautiful station
It was very busy and we shared a coffee and watched people pass but my attention was gained by a youngish couple who were obviously travelling
The guy was an American and judging by the flag on the girl’s backpack she was from Brazil
The girl was very beautiful
Brazilian girls are normally rather beautiful
Especially those of an European heritage
This one certainly was God’s favourite child
Tall endless tanned legs the whole works
Why were you jealous of her looks as you are also God’s favourite child
It was not that I was not jealous of her looks
I am comfortable in my own skin as you well know
I was jealous of the girl because of her freedom as she and her man were like characters from The Drifters
That is your favourite book
It is one of them
Here I was entertaining Mandy on expenses in a posh establishment at St P
Life was good
Life was very good
But I felt that my feet were encased in concrete
This was also my prison
I just wanted to travel like the couple near me
END OF PART ONE
PART TWO
Here we are Jane
Thirty countries
Has this changed your life
Do you feel free
Yes
But I feel homesick at the same time
I miss our apartment
I miss my friends
I even miss my job
You have no need to worry
As this is only a dream
A dream
THE DREAM ENDS