Buddies.

Dr Jim couldn’t make it to our big lunch this time round. Drakey is off to San Fran to look at enzymes and breast cancer in February. Big Chris continues to make megabucks as an accountant, but not megabucks enough to buy anywhere in London. He’s living in West Hampstead, which made me smile because of how close to there – Chalk Farm – I was on Monday. Lewis was defensive and aggressive at the same time, which I think is a chip he puts on his own shoulder. Ben is the same as he’s been for the last five or six years. I was glad to be there and to see them all. We went to Buddy’s for burgers and chips. Lewis asked us to order while he was in the loo, so we upgraded his burger to a 12oz from the 8oz. He didn’t even notice.

Ange called, and Lewis and I had to go. Trains were a nightmare, with cancellations and replacement buses all over the place, so I was going to travel with them part of the way. Ange was a bit egg with Lewis on the way back, so I pretended to fall asleep in the car, but I could hear every single word. He loves her, and she knows it. At Melton, given the choice of Lewis and Ange’s sofa, or a long train home and my own bed, I chose the train ride. Lewis and I had a few minutes on the platform to say goodbye. We shivered as we smoked. He waved as the sliding doors closed.