‘Football is their excuse for drinking. Every big game is an excuse for drinking, as is every celebration and disappointment.

I can only hope it’s one of those things that goes away after a while. But it’s hard not to think that it’s something I have done or said – or not done or not said.

You can’t disappoint people without getting their hopes up first.

who liked to sit at the bar and read instead of joining the others. It was his style to overhear rather than listen, to

He had thought his days of hurting those he loved were behind him, but when had he ever been able to promise that?

though whenever I think about going out I end up wondering where all my energy has gone. All I can think of is the effort

interject rather than participate.

Years of life untraced and unshared.

‘Call it a bad day. Start again tomorrow,’