Bit hard to concentrate after that “said Jimmy smiling.

“Yeah but I'm full on with to bomb or not to bomb Sally now so what's the SP then?

“Just wanted to talk really. I've known you can't stand being in the same room as her for years. Also know that you wouldn't say that for fear of hurting my feelings so let's just say I've got a slight inkling of what you'd do.

Ain't too hard to see which side I´m coming down on then either is it?”

“Well, yeah, but was it that obvious?”

“Not to anyone else but we've known each other since the days when kids had their arms torn off and beaten with the soggy ends so yeah it was just a tad obvious to me.”

I felt a bit uncomfortable so thought I'd change the subject.

“When you moving to London then Jimmy? Got a place to live sorted?”

As he started to tell me of his plans I noticed George, Finbar and Frank walking down the street towards the café and as they approached the door Frank stopped by Jimmy's car and mouthed something that didn't look too complementary.

George and Finbar came in and approached our table and just as I was about to introduce them to Jimmy Frank burst in and shouted “fucking typical! Says no parking outside but apparently not for the fucking old bill. Love to give him what for if I saw him.”

“Well you're in luck then Frank” I said “as he's sitting right next to me.

Frank say hello to Jimmy a mate of mine from Cardiff.”

Jimmy said hello whilst Frank looked at me, at Jimmy and then back at me and sort of muffled an “awright” in Jimmy's direction and then turned and went up to the counter.

I introduced George and Finbar and then there was silence for a few seconds which seemed like half an hour before Jimmy chipped in with ”better be getting back to Cardiff, I'm working tonight” and turning to George and Finbar added “nice to have met you lads.”

As we made our way to the door he tapped Frank on the shoulder and said “thanks for the what for” staring him in the eye as if to say if you want to rumble then I'll have a bit but Frank didn't respond.

I went outside with Jimmy to see him off and just as he was about to drive off he said “what's with the Frank bloke?”

“Dunno really” I said “only met him last night and he seemed alright.Mind you, you know that old bill are about as popular as a bacon sandwich on a Good Friday for a rock cake so most people we know will be weary of coming face to face with plod.”

“Maybe but you mind yourself with that one.”

I said OK and then waved him off. When I went back into the café Parvis was standing at the table where George, Finbar and Frank were sitting and it looked like Parvis had just introduced his girlfriend Sadie as I heard her say “he just can't seem to say it!” as I approached.

“You out tonight then Parvis” I asked but he looked at me moving his eyes back and forth as if to say “shut up, will you.”

“No, I´ve got to study for an exam so I'll see you next week” he said and left with Sadie.

“Nearly landed him in it there” said Finbar.

“You know I'm useless at all that secret squirrel stuff. I mean why can’t people just be honest? Anyway, if she knows anything about college she'll know we´ve finished our finals and are waiting for our results so there are no exams next week.”

“That's why you never get a sniff” said Finbar pouring sugar into his mug of tea.

“Talking of which did you get a sniff last night” I said grabbing his hand and sniffing his fingers.

“You are so grubby do you know that?” said Finbar but looking pleased I'd mentioned it as he looked fit to burst. I felt like changing the subject to piss on his boots but could see he was pleased with himself so followed up with “did you go to favourite place?”

“Do you have to talk like that? She's a very nice girl you know” he said sounding almost sincere.

George was looking bored and said “OK Finbar, just tell us if she made your eyes water.”

“I thought you'd never ask” he said and then went on to tell us how he´d spent all night rolling around her flat and that he was gonna see her again tonight for another round of shenanigans. From the way he was sitting it looked like he was up like a mountain just thinking about her.

I felt like winding Frank up about his mystery girl but after the reaction I got the night before I decided against it.

After Finbar bragged himself almost into exhaustion he finished with “only downside was I didn't get to eat my Bobby Burger”

“Yeah but bet you ate plenty of fur burger” I said which made Frank double up with laughter.

In fact Finbar´s story seemed to perk Frank up and he asked me “what you gonna do when you finish college?” and before waiting for my answer looked at George and said “you're going back to London yeah?” to which George nodded in agreement.

We'd taken our finals and we were gonna get the results in the following days so college days of booze, bed and the odd hour of study would soon be over.

“I'm gonna go to London to see what I can do there” I said to Frank.”My brother's already down there renting a flat with a mate and he told me there's room for one more.”

“Got a job?” asked Frank.

“Not yet but I'll do anything for bunce until I work out what I wanna do. How about you? Are you going back to your folk's hotel?”

Frank contorted his face like hed sat on a particularly painful hemorrhoid and said “I'd rather be a destitute” and told us he´d been offered a job running the door in a wine bar in Covent Garden.

“Well, we'll be alright for free booze then” said Finbar.

“Haven't said I'd take it yet but it's looking odds on at the moment. I mean, I can't face anymore blue rinses” said Frank and added “if I take it I've got to start next weekend so I'll be in London from then.”

I'd been thinking how I could get some juice on Frank's mystery girl and seeing how he'd perked up I thought I'd pump him a bit.

“Forgot to tell you Frank but while me and Jimmy were eating breakfast we saw the girl you were with last night drive past in a rather splendid car. In fact you might say it was more splendid than a car that was very splendid.”

Frank could see what I was up to and said “did you?” emphasizing the you and added “well, that must have been nice for you” again emphasizing the you which sort of stopped me dead in my tracks as I couldn't think of anything to say in response. Think he was enjoying keeping the mystery girl a mystery which only made me more determined to get the juice on her and what she was to him.

“What we doing tonight then?” I said as everyone had finished their breakfast.

“I've got to go to London tonight so I'll get my stuff and get the train now” said Frank.

“Just the one night here” I said “got anything to do with the job?”

“Not really” said Frank “but I heard something yesterday that made me change plans.”

Heard from where I thought? Must have had something to do with that mystery girl but Frank wasn't letting on.

We all went outside and formed a huddle on the pavement to say our goodbyes. George was going back to the flat with Frank to get his suitcase and see him off whilst me and Finbar were gonna do the rounds of the second hand record shops.

“Well, nice to have met you Frank. Safe journey and no doubt we'll meet up in London soon.”

“You can bank on it” he said and as he walked off with George it dawned on me for the first time that I'd soon be in London. I mean, I'd always intended to give it a whirl after college instead of going back to Cardiff but now the move was on me and I suddenly felt the rush that only comes from the mixture of fear and excitement.

Mind you, first things first and the results of my finals.

I was hoping they'd be half descent but constrained my optimism in case things had gone pear shaped.

Anyway, I was soon to find out.