sent from: Waterloo Station, London, UK .destination: San Rafael, California, USA

    The text on the postcard reads as follows:

He stood alone on the platform, the sound of the recently departed train receding out of sight. He knew, somehow, that he shouldn’t get on it, that today was going to be different. He wanted to be something – anything – than responsible and reliable. He hadn’t missed a day of school or ever done anything a reasonable person might consider rebellious. He started walking off the platform, slowly, calmly at first, and slowly picking up pace into a jog, and into a full-out sprint by the time he reached the ticket office. A person entering had to make a rapid sidestep, silently tutting him. When he was clear of the station, he stopped, breathing heavily, enjoying feeling his lungs and heart working. From his briefcase he pulled a pair of sports shoes, taking off his regular shoes. He also removed his jacket, and left it along with his shoes on a nearby tree. Then he set off running.