first base no3

as she lowered her hand caroline's shoulders began to shake with laughter. 'of course i remember,' she said.

as i tried to decide whether i was relieved that i hadn't made a complete prat of myself or affronted that she considered my distress all those years ago so amusing, she carried on. she explained how her mother's relationship with stuart's dad had cooled but that she had eventually married another and settled in a prosperous part of town.

'mum died a few years ago,' she told me, 'she was wonderful. but now you mention it there was one piece of advice she stressed over and over.'

'oh yes,' i said, 'what was that then?'

'well,' she said as she stifled yet more smirks,'she always told me that i was never to go out without a spare pair of knickers.'

insulated from fellow shoppers by our shared memory our sides shook some more.

then off she went, heading for the tinned tomatoes before vanishing beyond the sherry. i doubt if our paths will cross again. i reckon twice in one lifetime will be enough for both of us.

as to whether i had been the first, i never found out. gallantry stayed my tongue. we'd been through plenty that afternoon as it was.

but if neither of us had forgotten by then i don't think we ever will.

peace and love in my black boxers