was hopeful that what he was about to do would actually alleviate it like it used to. But was it better to be safe than sorry? He thought it was and so he grabbed it on the way out.
He knew exactly where he was going, taking the road out of Winfield and heading further into the countryside, passing rolling fields, hot and blonde under the summer sun, climbing steadily until he reached the top of the downs with views that stretched for miles before dropping down a winding road into a shaded valley. There was nobody around here. In fact, he’d only passed a couple of hikers and one dog walker in the last three miles which was just as he’d hoped for he was after a little bit of privacy for what he wanted to do. He only hoped the place was as he remembered it. That was the thing with memory – it was so easy to gloss over reality, editing out the bad bits and remembering only the good. Perhaps he’d done that over the years with this place.
Parking his car by an ancient church whose front was obscured by a large yew tree, Edward got out and opened the boot, pulling his gear onto the ground a moment later.
Suddenly, he became nervous. It was years since he’d done this. Would he still have the nerve? Well, there was only one way to find out, he supposed as he looked up and down the lane, making sure a walking party wasn’t about to appear. But there was nobody about so he closed the boot and locked the car before picking up his bag, heading for the public footpath sign a little further down the lane. It was shaded there and a little overgrown. Edward’s legs sliced through the long grasses which threatened to swallow up the path completely, using his bag when he came across a patch of hungry-looking nettles.
After a couple of minutes of walking, the footpath dipped into a wood before opening out into a field the colour of dark honey. The path then skirted this field before ending at a stile which the young Edward had climbed over many a time, excitement fuelling him on as he entered the lush green meadow beyond, catching that first, tantalising glimpse of the river. Now, he felt no less excited than that young boy as he saw the water sparkling in the afternoon sunshine. How beautiful it looked. Just as he remembered it. It was one of those rare and wonderful chalk streams that were so clear and pure that you could see all the plant and animal life.
He looked anxiously around the field and up and down the stream as if anticipating company but, as before, there was nobody around and so he began to undo the buttons of his shirt, revealing a dark v-shape where he’d already caught the sun that summer and tanned arms too which had been exposed while walking the downs. Next were his boots and trousers, but he kept his boxer shorts on. Skinny dipping was one thing when you were a young boy, but quite another when a grown man. Anyway, as a galleon-like cloud passed over the sun, he made the decision to put on the wetsuit he’d brought with him.
It was a bit of a struggle to get it on, but he was relieved that it still fit him. He’d been anxious after spending so many years sitting at his desk. He did his best to keep himself fit with his gym membership and walking, but he’d worried that his job might have meant an increase in his weight. Luckily, it hadn’t and, doing up the zip, he sighed in relief. He then wriggled his feet into his waterproof boots which fitted oh-so-snuggly and prevented all manner of cuts and bruises when navigating one’s way down a wild stretch of water.
Next, he reached inside for the bottle of sun cream and covered his face with the cool lotion remembering, as he always did whenever he applied sun cream, the time he’d spent a day swimming in the river, thinking he was safe with the water covering his body. He’d woken the next morning not only with the world’s worst headache, but with skin that looked as if he’d jumped into a vat of red paint. Ever since that day, he never ventured forth without his factor fifty.
Finally, it was time to greet the water and he walked towards