Alexander Monroe lives in Grasspatch, a town so small, the founders couldn’t even be bothered thinking up a proper name for it. He works at the newsagency/post office, where his duties include ordering newspapers and magazines, printing Lotto tickets, and delivering the mail. One morning he has to deliver a parcel to the mysterious Mr Christian O’Neill, who lives in an oddly-shaped mansion on the outskirts of town. Not much is known about Mr O’Neill, although there is certainly an abundance of rumours -- a faded rock star, a media-shy actor. Alexander can’t wait to find out the answers for himself. Rather than being odd, Christian turns out to be the most interesting person Alexander has ever met. In fact, he asks to come back, and with each consecutive visit, he learns more and more about Christian, and about the power of the mind and the wonders visualisation can bring. But even as Alexander learns how to get what he thinks he wants, he loses Christian. Is it too late to find him again? And if he does, will what they had still be there?

Cool Blue

After three wines at dinner he blurted out the invitation.


“Yes, a very dear friend, who I’ve been neglecting these past couple of weeks.”


“Sure,” said Adam. “Any friend of yours is a friend of mine.”


I bloody well hope so, thought Alexander.


Saturday was spent painting. All but the bulkiest items of furniture had been removed. The rubbish had been carted away and Adam had got Alexander to put a notice up in the news agency/post office window announcing “Furniture for sale. 13 Waterman Avenue. Bring a trailer.” So far the kitchen table and accompanying chairs had gone, for the princely sum of fifty dollars, but there had been little interest in anything else.


Chapter 18