We did the introductions and it turned out the guy with the camera was a school friend of George’s who was called Vinny.

He was tall as well and I was starting to feel like Jimmy Clitheroe in an audition for a Cyclops remake. He was a London boy born and bred, had wavy long blonde hair, blue eyes and looked like he belonged on a Milanese catwalk.

“What's with the camera then Vinny?” I said.

“What I do for bunce so never without it. I mean ya never know what's around the corner now do ya and it looks like I've had a right touch here. I mean gas lights!”

At which point he started off around the pub taking photos.

“Known him since school days have you George?” I said.

“Yeah, we sat together on the first day of school and we've been swapping football and fruit stickers ever since. Can't remember him without his camera and you know I think he even sleeps with it. Might be a bit uncomfortable mind as he´s a bit of a babe magnet.”

“Babe magnet?” I said and collapsed with laughter and in a whipstitch we were all laughing so loud we were getting looks from other people in the pub.

“Been sniffing the gas have ya?” quipped Vinny as he came back from snapping in the lounge bar.

“Got some lovely smudges here, lovleeee! How about a group smudge?”

He pulled out a small camera from his pocket, set the timer, placed it on the fruit machine which was still on its lonesome and ran round to join us. The clap clap sound the camera shutter release made seemed to disturb some of the locals who to a person looked as if they did nothing other than drink booze.

In fact most had cheeks as red as ripe tomatoes and looked as if they were about to go into a group cardiac arrest and one in particular who was the spit of Karl Marx in glasses looked over disapprovingly as he stroked his long manky beard.

“Who's ready for another then?” said Frank in his very low Frank voice as he made his way to the bar without waiting for anyone to reply.

He ordered a large brandy while waiting for the round and downed it in one. When I saw the Pils and the K cider it took me back to the night we met in Sheffield and how that ended up although I wouldn't have minded another glimpse of his mystery girl.

When Frank came back with the drinks Vinny said

“Oi Frank! I was just telling the lads here I'm doing the smudges in a do up West next week. They´re opening a member’s gaff called Alfredo's and it´s likely to be bang on. You know, wall to wall media type boats and Britney´s gratis. Fancy it if I can get you in?”

I was starting to think I'd need a translator to understand Vinny.

“That'd be marvelous” said Frank as he downed another brandy and went on “listen, while we're at it” pausing momentarily to slap his chest and sort of burp as the brandy hit the spot “come down the wine bar this weekend. I'm on the door so you won't have any trouble but try not to come too late as the boss'll be sniffing around later on. When I finish we can go out.”

Every now and then I'd glance over to Aria who was looking prettier than someone who was really pretty. A right Suadela you might say and I started to think about inviting her to the Alfredo do or Frank's wine bar. Bound to impress her I thought although even with the booze inside it my stomach would knot up every time I thought of asking her if she' d come with me.

We had what seemed like half a dozen more rounds and then George slurred

“Anyway, I'd better make a move. I've got an interview tomorrow.”

“Christ you didn't waste any time. What's it for?”I said.

“Junior reporter on the Totteridge Gazette. My father's a mate of the editor so I'm hoping nepotism's on the job profile and not talent.”

“Doing the gee gees column are you George?” said Sean as George had made known his fondness for a flutter.

“Well good luck then. If you get the job you can give us all a gee” I said.

Any chance of a lift to the rubic George?” said Vinny.

“Yeah of course.”

“You do know that Fred Flintstone's foot mobile´' fooking newer don´t you Vinny” quipped Finbar.

Finbar didn’t swear that much but when he did his Black Country accent made his fucks sound like fooks.

“Yeah, the old 2CV's like me old china” said Vinny.

“Me and Sean gorra get up for work tomorrow so we´ll make a move as well” said Tommy.

Frank looked over to me with expectant eyes and said “fancy a few more?”

“Yeah if it’s local. Do you know anywhere around here.”

“Am I invited?” said Finbar.

“When did you ever need an invite Finbar” I said as we all exchanged phone numbers and said our cheerios and whilst we were doing it Frank got another round together with a large brandy to keep him company while he waited for Finbar´s wallop to be pulled.

“Listen, there's a bar round the corner called Maxi´s which stays open until two in the morning. Have to eat but we could order a plate of chips or something with our seventeen drinks” said Frank as he passed me and Finbar ours.

As the last order's bell sounded my stomach went into a spasm as I thought of Aria and what I could say to ask her out. Just asking seemed a bit boring and I wanted to impress but as hard as I tried I couldn't think of anything witty to say. I mean I couldn´t just say fancy coming out could I?

“Shall we go to Maxi´s then?” said Frank as he chased down his brandy with a snakebite.

“Yeah, I´m in” said Finbar as he finished off his pint of wallop.

“Just give us a minute. I can't drink as fast as you two” I said looking over at Aria who looked over at the same moment. As I drank the last of my Lowenbrau my bottle went and I said

“OK, let's go then.”

We set off for Maxi's and I felt more than disappointed with myself and felt worse with every step but then I felt Frank's large hand on my shoulder and as I turned to look at him he said “listen, she can only say no. Why don't you go back and talk to her. We'll wait here for you.”

My stomach churned and knotted as I said “OK. I'll only be minute:”

As I walked back to the Tree of Life I heard Finbar shout “and don´t go into the bog and tell us she said no. Make sure you ask her.”

As I walked into the pub I bumped slap bang into Aria who had her hands full of empty glasses. Now there was no going back.

“Hello Aria.”

“Hey, I thought you leaved” and as she turned to put the glasses on the bar said “what´s your name anyways?”

By now my heart was beating at about 200 per minute so thought I'd better get it over with before I keeled over.

“Would you like to come to a party in the West End or do something next week?” I blurted out sounding like a Dalek with a personality problem. “Ahhh, my name´s Jack.”

“Yes, I like” she said smiling and passed me a piece of paper with her number on it.

“I'll ring you tomorrow night then” I said feeling as if I was starting to float. I mean she had the number prepared didn't she?

Aria said “OK” and then carried on collecting glasses giving me a little wave as I left.

I must have been beaming as when I caught up with Frank and Finbar they didn't ask me how it went. Must have been that obvious I suppose.

“Where's this Maxi's then Frank?” said Finbar.

“Just round the corner.”

Maxi's was one of those Jack of all trades, master of none type places decked out in cherry red which do everything from Mexican to curry and all rather badly. Didn't really matter mind as we were only there for the booze.

A waiter showed us to a table and then walked off without asking us what we wanted to drink. Don't you just hate that?

The bloke who came in behind us seemed to be having some trouble getting himself understood and it sounded like he was speaking French. Well, whatever it was none of the staff seemed to understand a word. Without saying anything Frank got up, went to the bar and said “I'd like three Rolling Rock and a large brandy please” and then went over to the guy having trouble and started speaking to him.

The guy looked really pleased that someone knew what he was on about and after a few laughs and back slaps was guided to a table. Frank gestured to him as if to say “I'm over here if you need more help” and then came back to join us.

“Thank heaven for little girls...” Finbar sort of sang. To say he was tone deaf would be unfair to tone deaf people.

“That was very impressive Frank.” Where did you learn to speak French?” I said.

“Spent every summer in Le Lavandou when I was a kid” he replied but looked totally disinterested in continuing the how I come to speak French conversation so I dropped it.

Couldn't help thinking though. Gorgeous mystery girl and he speaks fluent French!

What next?

Turned out I didn´t have to wait long.