Alottabooks Now

(Tom sits in his office as the shadow of a ceiling fan moves over him rhytmically)

The library... shit; I'm still only in the library... Every time I think I'm gonna wake up back on paternity leave. When I was home after my first baby, it was worse. I'd wake up and there'd be nothing. I hardly said a word to my wife, until I said "yes" to a gin and tonic. When I was here, I wanted to be there; when I was there, all I could think of was getting back onto paternity leave. I'm here a week now... waiting for an enquiry... getting softer; every minute I stay in this room, I get weaker, and every minute the students squat in the bush, they get stronger. Each time I looked around, the walls moved in a little tighter.

(Tom practices elaborate martial arts moves, his muscular torso glistening with sweat...)