I liked to ride the Docklands railway in those days, sitting at the very front of the electric trains, when they were being driven by an operator at the back. As we zipped around the waterfront of the Thames, following rails set on an overpass of raised concrete, I thought of myself as living in some futuristic city: a potential self in a city of potential. In fact, the experience was more like a fairground ride, and I was aware of indulging a kind of childish fascination by occupying those front seats. New developments were growing on the docks and wharfs, and the city changed around me, even as I set about discovering it. I couldn’t drive, and in fact, I would never learn how to drive, but those trips gave me almost a sense of control, during days which frequently seemed chaotic and unruly, when I could things about to lurch beyond the track.
I Liked To Take The Trains
Published by Daniel Bennett
I'm a writer and poet. My first novel, All the Dogs, appeared in 2008, and was described by Niall Griffiths as 'a stirring debut, a compellingly written tract on the importance of finding a place on the earth.' My fiction has appeared in London Noir, Crimewave, Black Static and 3AM. I live in London, where, amongst other things, I teach Creative Writing for the Open University. https://absenceclub.com View all posts by Daniel Bennett
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