I can’t remember what I said to the lads. Probably swore undying love to each and every one of them. Good thing they were all too bloody knackered to listen. As we pulled slowly into the bank, I grinned into Archie’s face. His hair was sticking to his forehead and had turned a couple of shades darker from the sweat. “We did it,” I said. He didn’t say anything, just grinned back at me.
One of the towpath crew handed me half a shrubbery and the college flag so we could row back to the boathouse in style. It’s not small, that flag. It was all I could do to keep it out of the water without steering us into the bank.
“Are you holding that flag, or is it holding you?” Phil asked, between panting breaths, all smiles now we’d bumped.
“Neither. It’s a mutual support group.” I couldn’t stop grinn
