Three boys together clamber out from the dark water and wade to the island shore. Naked and wet. Serious they appear to disregard such facts. They arrive at the monastery door, one rings the bell, they wait, the door opens. Such fun to see three boys naked and wet appear unexpected yet not uninvited upon one’s doorstep in the middle of the night. An owl turns in a tree, eye caught by the light out through the opened door, sees a monk step out, his arm out to usher three glittering and slender bodies inside the monastery. I got them towels and tunics. We are here to see what it is that you have to offer, they commenced most seriously. Stupidly perhaps I made the joke, lifting up my tunic so as to show what indeed I have to offer. It they inspected carefully with most serious expressions. Fucking hell, I wondered, don’t they have any sense of humour? Still, better they don’t laugh at it anyway. Made myself respectable again. See this is not going to be easy.

After showing us his cock he led us to their communal meeting room. A roaring log fire. Leaping fire colours in these monks eyes replace by cool dark interest as heads turn from the fire to confirm it is us who have arrived. Various smiles. One monk speaks. Before we explain ourselves is there any request you care to make? Please, something warm to drink. One monk went to return with a herb infusion. They began. We are not normal monks, as you know, though on the surface we appear to be, for we do not reproduce directly through sex with women. As with normal monks our life is incompatible with family life. We can’t be looking after babies. It’s simple, they would interfere with what we do. It is with what we do that we part company from normal monks. And so he went on elaborating their unconventional approach to religion. Much as we had anticipated in our own discussions the previous night.