I was rather hoping for a lie in the next day but awoke to a terrible thudding in my head. Well, I assumed it was coming from inside my head but as I stirred from my drunken slumber I realized it was coming from downstairs and that someone was belting the door knocker like Black Rod on Damiana.

I turned over hoping someone else would answer it but the thudding just kept on so I jumped up in a bad mood and started off towards the stairs getting angrier with every step. As I got to the landing I heard the letter box open and a bloke's voice shout out “I know you're in there!” which stopped me in my tracks.

He sounded all too familiar but if he was who I thought he was then he was a long way from home.

As I approached the door off he went again “come on, open up. I know you´re in there!” 'I opened the door and was greeted by “how ya doing silly bollocks?” and there he was Jimmy my mate from Cardiff. Think I forgot to tell you I was from there but yeah I was only in Sheffield to study.

When I first saw Frank he kind of reminded me of Jimmy. I mean Frank was taller but they both had a beaming smile, were as strong as bulls and wouldn't take a step back. If you screwed with Jimmy you had to be prepared to go all the way.

Lovely fellah though, with a heart of gold and a great laugh to be with and if he was around you didn't have to look for him as he had a voice which made a fog horn sound like a church mouse in comparison and his personality could fill a good sized room.

We'd met in school when I was eight. He came from another school in the spring term so the teacher put him next to me as I was the least likely to steal his sweets or chin him at the earliest opportunity.

The table we were on was something special. Well, special as in special needs. There were eight places but only seven ever attended as one kid never came. In fact, I think only I actually knew what he looked like as he was born in my part of town and I'd seen him in the street.

The rest weren't missing much unless they found no teeth and a permanent dew drop attractive I can tell you. As for the remainder, well speech seemed somewhat of a challenge for everyone apart from me and Jimmy so as you can imagine anything like learning something required an oversized dollop of optimism.

Our teacher made Jimmy Clitheroe look like Meadowlark Lemon and he loved nothing more than bullying eight year olds.

He'd shout “straight” every five minutes which for some reason known only to him meant we all had to sit up in silence with our arms crossed in front of us and even if everyone was doing it right he'd find some excuse to poke one of us around the class.

We never really learnt much as he'd spend most of the day telling of us of his life in the army and sharing his stories of daring do.

“I'll tear your arm off and beat you with the soggy end” he'd shout at anyone talking or mucking about but I found out some years later that his army career was in fact two years national service as a private working in stores and not in the SAS as he would have people believe.

Sad and bastard anyone?

Anyway, back to Jimmy standing in front of me smiling.

“What you doing here then?” I asked forgetting the severity of my hangover.

“Just thought I'd drive up to see you” but then added as he saw my eyebrows rising

“well, and I had a blazing row with Sally again and needed a drive to calm me down.

Just about managed it by Chesterfield!”

He'd been with Sally a long while which I thought was miraculous as heavy and maintenance as a description wouldn't do her justice.

I hadn't seen him for a while as I hadn't been home for months so I was really happy to see him.

After college he'd signed up for one of those graduate accelerated promotion things with the police force. Yeah, old bill and Jimmy in the same sentence didn't ring true to me either but Jimmy was Jimmy and he never did what was expected of him.

“Listen Jimmy, I was on the lash last night and feel shittier than a big pile of shite so do you fancy going to a greasy spoon for some breakfast?” I mean the onion bajhi I had last night didn't really do the trick.”

“Breakfast!” he said. “ It's lunchtime but yeah I could do with a bite.”

I went back upstairs to put on deodorant and some body spray without washing my armpits and some fresh clothes and as I was pulling a jumper over my head I bumped into George coming out of the bathroom in his stripped pyjamas.

“How do you feel” I said but George just shook his head as if to say don't ask.

“Listen, a mate of mine's shown up and we're off to Alboka´s if you fancy meeting there for a bite later.”

He gave me a limp thumbs up and disappeared into his bedroom.

I went downstairs grabbed a coat and then me and Jimmy jumped into his car and set off to get some breakfast or lunch or whatever it was we were gonna eat.

As we made our way to Alboka's Jimmy turned to me and said,

“Well, it wasn't just Sally that made me drive up the M1 you know. I've been offered a job and ain't sure what to do.”

“Haven't got to sit on the Chief Inspector's truncheon yet have you?” I asked.

“Only if it's got batteries. Nah, I've been offered a job with the Met in London. The drug squad.”

“Well, take it then so I can get discount” I joked not ever having taken anything stronger than flavoured Russian vodka.

“But why are you asking me? I mean when I told you you were mad to think of joining the old bill you went ahead and joined anyway.”

“I ain't asking you if I should take the job coz I've already accepted. My only doubt is whether I should make a clean break with Sally now as I don't wanna up root the kids if we're gonna do it anyway in a few months. What d'ya think I should do?”

See Jimmy had got married young and had a couple of kids. Always, liked going round his place as it was always a fun place to be but only when Sally wasn't there. When she showed up things would go downhill faster than something that goes downhill really fast.

“Don't they say that the most stressful things in life apart from getting your knob stuck in your zip is changing jobs, moving house or getting divorced and you're thinking of doing all three at once.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean but she's really starting to do my nut in. Doesn't think of anyone apart from herself and that includes the kids. She's also started a penchant for vodka in doors which ain't helping.”

By now we were reaching Alboka's so I gestured for Jimmy to take a right and said “we'll have to go in the car park as you can't park outside.”

“I can” he said and as he pulled into the kerb bang outside he pulled a blue light from under his seat and put it on top of the car. Not flashing but making it clear it was old bill.

“You never know when I'll be needed for urgent policing” he said as he opened the door for me to go inside Alboka's.

When we were inside he went up to the counter to see what was on offer whilst I looked for a table.

I stuck my head round a column that blocked the view of the end of the cafe and who did I see but Parvis a mate of mine sitting in the corner with a blonde, a new blonde, another blonde.

He reminded me of Omar Sharif apart from the fact that he was Iranian not Egyptian, didn't have a moustache and was better looking. Must have been the fact that his mere presence seemed to do something to girl's knicker elastic.

When he saw me he shouted over “hey Jackie boy! How are you? Let me introduce you to Shady.”

I turned to the blonde who was wearing what looked more like a scarf than a dress and said

“You been up to no good then?”

“It's not Shady, it's Sadie” she said “but he can't seem to say it.”

“Yeah, all the vimens say that” I said but she just stared at me not knowing what I was on about.

“Anyway Parvis, I'm with a mate so I'll phone you later” and then turning to Sadie said “anyway, enjoy your food” and smiled at Parvis who was already chuckling to himself.

You see for Parvis food meant a good wallop and the bloke was always hungry if you get me. I often thought he must have been a two dicked Viagra chomping horse who worked in a stud farm in a former life.

“I fancy a chicken salad bap” said Jimmy as I joined him at the counter “but I really can't stand it when the chicken's chicken's lip”

“No, one hundred percent carpet here guaranteed so go for it. After last night I think I need a full cowboy.”

“Carpet, cowboy?” asked Jimmy.

“Sorry carpet is slang for tit so I meant chicken breast and a cowboy's the full monty splendo English breakfast. Having mates from all over the gaff adds a bit of flavour to your vocabulary don't you think?”

“I'll take your word for it” said Jimmy.

We placed our orders and sat on a table by the window which looked onto the street where one car with a blue light was parked.

I was just about to ask Jimmy where we'd left off in the car talking about his new job when his eyes switched to the street and he said excitedly,

“Have a look!”

I turned around and saw a red soft top Porsche Carrera GT coming down the street and as it passed by the window I could see that the driver was the mystery girl we'd seen in Hooshang's the night before with Frank.

She turned towards us and at that moment it was as if time had slowed and even seemed to stop for a split second at the moment I caught her eye.

“Do you know her?” asked Jimmy.

“No.” I said continuing to stare out into the street as her car became a red dot in the distance.

As it disappeared I couldn´t help feeling it wouldn’t be the last time I´d see her.

I just didn´t know when...........then!