The Ofi Press Magazine

The Knowing

By Jules A. Riley (UK/ Belgium) Published in Issue 28.

          “Do you know what the letter’s about?” Asked Davy’s father.

“Yes, Dad.”

“Do you want to tell me what happened?”

“The men were shouting.”

“The men?”

“The swimming teachers.”

“Where was your teacher?”

“She went off to have a cup of tea.”

“Did she now?”

“He said he’d throw me in.”

“Who?”

“The swimming teacher.”

“Did he?”

“There were lots of boys in the water and the water went in my mouth and it was horrible and…”

“It’s alright, son, it’s alright.”

“Dad. Have you been scared?”

“Sometimes… I was a lot older than you when I learnt to swim… I’ll write to the headmaster.”

“Will that man shout again?”

“No. Nobody‘s going to shout at you or make you swim if you don‘t want to.”

 Davy  hugged his father. “Thanks Dad. I’m not scared anymore.”

His father kissed him on the forehead, “Nor am I son. Nor am I.”

A tear followed the runnels of his face.

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Jules A Riley (b.1943) is an Anglo-Belgian writer living in Scotland, in the one-time fishing port of Musselburgh. He has been published in literary magazines, both in print and on-line in Great Britain and the USA. These include The Interpreter's House, Quantum Leap and Carillon (GB) and such as pif, EWR, Cactus Heart and Rusty Nail (USA). He has also contributed journalistic feature articles to the Scotsman publications and medical technical articles to a professional journal.