SHANE​ WARREN

There are dates we remember because the calendar tells us to. Birthdays, anniversaries, Christmases, beginnings of school years, ends of financial years; little human attempts to put fences around the otherwise relentless movement of time. Then there are other dates that require no reminder at all. We do not so much remember them as remain somehow attached to them. Mention the date, the event, sometimes merely a name, and suddenly we know where we were, who was beside us, wha

We ask versions of the question every day. “How are you going?” “Everything alright?” “How have things been?” Most of the time, these are social courtesies rather than genuine enquiries. We ask while walking past, looking at our phone or already moving towards whatever we intend to say next. The expected answer is equally rehearsed: “Good, thanks.”

Father’s Day can be wonderfully uncomplicated for some people. A handmade card. Breakfast that arrives slightly burnt. A phone call. A family lunch. A photograph posted online with an affectionate message about the man who has always been there. For others, the day arrives carrying considerably more weight...