A single off-peak ticket from Reading to London costs six pounds and thirty-five pence, whereas a return ticket costs only five pence more. As of late, I always buy a return ticket whenever I go to London. I never know when I may wish to return to Reading. Besides, the option costs me next to nothing.

Addendum I (January 30, 2000)

Well, the prices recently went up by thirty pence for the return ticket. The single ticket is still only five pence less, though. Tomorrow morning Lauren and I are supposed to see Gabrielle Rifkind again, and so we agreed that I come over today and sleep there. This afternoon I will also have a chance to be with the children. Anyhow, something tells me that I will be buying another return ticket today.

Addendum II (October 14, 2000)

All these months I have not traveled from Reading to London one single time without buying the old return ticket. This policy has served me well on a number of occasions, when it was simply impossible to tolerate Lauren any longer. Unfortunately, my return ticket was of no use earlier today because I bought it yesterday but wanted to go back well after midnight. When I bought the ticket to Reading just after four o’clock this morning, I had to pay ten pounds minus five pence for the pleasure. Luckily, this indeed seems to have been the very last time the return-ticket gambit will be of any use to me.