The Cat's Table
Short story about an eleven-year-old boy’s journey on board a ship from Colombo, Ceylon, to England.
Michael Ondaatje's eleven-year-old climbs the gangplank watching only the path of his feet—nothing ahead exists. He finds his cabin, presses a switch, and his head is caught in a cone of light. He does not go up for a last look or to wave. He doesn't know why he chose this solitude.