Utopia Avenue

by David Mitchell

The present is a curtain. Most of us can’t see behind it.

Are you Neil and Ben, by any chance?” Dean couldn’t believe his luck. “That’s us.” “Perfect. Let me double-check the surnames…so you’d be Mr. Neil Downe and your mate here’s Mr. Ben Dover?”

“Marriage is an anchor, lads. Stops you drifting onto rocks, but stops you voyaging as well.”