She had just finished her journey; 126 miles drive to temporarily escape her life. She had tried turning the conveyor belt off but the big red emergency stop button had failed to work. So now in Burford, a little almost mock like old village near the Cotswolds, she sat in her hotel bar with the six presumed regulars. Including a rather cute bar man who could not have been more than 18, she had actually driven there to forget about men and her other bad habits of recent. Sitting alone with her trademark glass of pinot and cigarette, she wondered what they thought she was doing there especially as she was writing in her notebook. A feeling of awkwardness was with her but yet a sense of courage and independence was guiding her through this little adventure. Over 100 mile from home but really in exactly the same position, she hoped that tomorrow would bring some kind of enlightenment. Not really sure of what her next action would be while people eyed her, a feeling of hunger was with her but her bottom felt concreted to the seat, too afraid to just step up to the bar to order food. Although all the time thinking that food was the answer, not in general but as an immediate resolve.

She treated this trip as a kind of test of her strength, to see if she could place herself in a distant area, removing anything familiar and see if she could swim. She was thinking that there was swimming potential so far but it had only been an hour. This was not the kind of place she had pictured staying, she needed a river, somewhere to reflect and find inspiration. There was a serious doubt setting in her mind that this would be feasible here, but her consolation was that there was always tomorrow to find somewhere more appropriate. The waitress suggesting that she take her order for dinner, as the kitchen would be closing shortly interrupted this moment of reflection. This solving the problem of her super-glued bottom, which in turn brought the realisation that she was possibly only paddling at the moment. She thought that if all this appeared to be a waste of time, she was sure she could find something to take from the experience, even if it was to know that her little car could go the distance, if not her…