“That’s very good, Barkley. Well-taken. I told you it wasn’t so bad. Just one more, then we’ll rest and take a look at those stripes.” The teacher’s words flowed over me like water. I couldn’t understand a word she said, but only sensed her tone. She found this an amusement. It was a hard thing perhaps, but nothing more than that. “It will be over soon” she kept saying, as though that made everything alright. Well it had taken an eternity to get this far. Soon wasn’t soon enough for me. I knew without any experience that the last stroke would be the hardest. I didn’t see how I could endure it. I knew it would have me screaming around the room, dancing and holding on to my arse with all my strength.

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