Spadina streetcar, awake since 5am, bright and shiny.

Caucasian male, early 40s, purposefully fit in fitted tee in unseasonably warm weather, his biceps effortlessly strained against the pole, freckled and tanned by a late autumn, high noon bike ride along the DVP.

LISTEN: Twilight Of The Superheroes, Deborah Eisenberg (Picador)

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For months afterward, Madison kept everyone awake late into the night repudiating all his former beliefs, his beautiful blue eyes whirling around and his hair standing on end as if he'd stuck his head into a socket.

It's always a bit of a stretch, to get out this early. But the pavement is so smooth; he blasts by roller bladers, Tai Chi back walkers, and Riverdale dog owners. Yes, today, he could just keep riding. Miles upon miles upon kilometres, whatever he's supposed to be clocking. It's all the same. Just one more rotation away from the funeral of his dead lover.