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Smile . . . Roddy Doyle

This one really sneaked up on me. I was enjoying it, but was a trifle bored. Irish boy having trouble with groping Christian Brothers. It seemed like nothing new.
But . . .what an ending.  Fitzpatrick, a boy who claims to have gone to school with our main character, confronts.  "I am you," he says.  "You are me."  The story of a single groping is just that--a story. Both boys were repeatedly raped by the Christian Brother. Both are scarred for life.

Main character claims to have been "married" to Rachel.  This is interesting. Perhaps this is all made up.  He admits they were never married officially. He has no pictures of his "son." Fitzpatrick "I am you" says that he is unable to get an erection--it's clear he is sexually disabled by the experience with the Christian Brother.  Is our main character any different? Has he made up Rachel and his son?

I listened to this on Audible and don't have the book.  Most of the time, Audible is great, but I'd sure like to go back and reread those passages . . . and I will someday.

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