"It's December 24th, 1999. Byron Easy, a poverty-stricken poet, half-drunk and suicidal, sits on a train at King's Cross Station waiting to depart. In his lap is a backpack containing his remaining worldly good--an empty wine bottle, a few books, a handful of crumpled banknotes. As the journey commences he conjures memories (both painful and euphoric) of the recent past, of his rollercoaster London life, and, most distressingly, of Mandy--his half-Spanish Amazonian wife--in an attempt to make sense of his terrible--and ordinary--predicament. What has led him to this point? Where are his friends, his family, his wife? What has happened to his dreams? And what disturbing plan awaits him at the end of his journey?"--Dust jacket, p. [2]