Swimming Lessons

by Claire Fuller

Writing does not exist unless there is someone to read it,

The house had always been full of books, far too many for one person to get through in a lifetime. Her father didn’t collect them to read, to own first editions or to keep those signed by the author; Gil collected them for the handwritten marginalia and doodles that marked the pages,

don’t think the new holidaymakers are likely to leave used rubber johnnies on the beach,’ I said, still looking through the crowd for you, ‘and get the village girls pregnant.’

why the words ‘to father’ have such a different meaning from the words ‘to mother’.