Happy always

John Fraser's latest work of speculative fiction, concerns two journeys. In "Here and Back Again" the young narrator escapes from his isolated village, lives poor in Paris, is involved in marginal schemes, promotes avant garde mass concerts in Africa, gets sent to a remote part of Russia where he is to supervise an imported jungle installation. He tries, and fails, in an attempt to trek back to humanity's origins in Africa, returns to Paris, working with a team of rickety mountebanks in the Metro. In "Happy," a young drifter serves as chauffeur to a wealthy boss, who is killed in a botched robbery, leaving the narrator independent - teaching English and living by expedients among market traders. The latter go their separate, fatal ways. After some vicissitudes, he follows the pursuit of happiness, his outstanding quality, and takes a voyage on a pleasure boat. Its lady captain becomes his lover, but passes on to him a fatal illness. He remains happy.