My brother and I sailed paper boats made from sheets of grease proof paper down the gutter after heavy rain. A peaceful camaraderie in a turbulent sibling rivalry.
We raced them from our driveway, running alongside on the nature strip, swooping down to collect them before they were swallowed by stormwater drain eight houses down.
They were sailed until they were soggy and losing integrity before we let them disappear down the gaping maw of the stormwater.
One day I set my boat adrift, letting it chase my brother’s, but did not follow it. I watched it retreat before turning away, knowing its destination, and went inside.
Later I found two boats on the dining room table sitting on a plastic plate in a puddle of water. Two boats sailing calmly midst every storm.
‘Maw’ is one of my favourite words, so evocative. Ive used it as a chapter heading in the WIP. Also in there is a piece about twin brothers and two ‘happy birthday’ balloons and the ‘race’ for them to deflate which summed up their relationship, which seems to chime with your lovely piece here
Adam this is such a lovely piece. A perfect capture of the relationship between two siblings.