The day began at 08.30 hrs when Dave from Portsmouth woke us to come to a party. I was feeling the leftovers from last night’s drinking – I always said that with ouzo you get a leftover rather than a hangover – but in true Matala spirit, I strolled over to his camp for a welcome joint. This was followed by breakfast, and the rest of the day unfolded as did every day on this beach.
It unfolded like a soft blanket. If one looked closely at the label, it would say Hedonism – wash with care. It was supportive, nurturing, and protective. A few years from now, I will write that I always thought Hedonism was a town to the east of Hull. It will be a line in a poem. A few syllables, a certain meter, part of a whole, maybe raising a little laugh. But the blanket will stay with me through the long years ahead, maybe a bit threadbare in places – a motif for my life.
Psychologist on the Move 