No 8 Bus, March 16th

A young couple climb the stairs and sit behind me. She has a warm lolloping northern accent -

“You’ll never guess what. My dad, on the way from his meeting, got on the bus and tried to pay with money!’

He laughs, “Classic. Old school.”

“You can still pay with money in Manchester. But he never gets the bus up there either.”

A while later as we come into Roman Road -

“I never thought she was the type I’d be friends with cos she’s religious and don’t drink and don’t have sex and that. But we were friendly and got on alright. And then after a while we saw each other maybe once a year… and now she’s asked me to be god-mother! I did say to her.. don’t you have any closer you want to ask? But no she said…. she said you’re one of my best friends.

I mean…

If I was getting married, and I’m NOT, she would get an invite to it…”

“Would she?”

“Yeah course… but she definitely wouldn’t be a bridesmaid.”

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