SITTING ON A COACH, IT’S DARK ON THE COACH I’M TRAVELLING AT NIGHT. CHARLOTTE IS SITTING IN THE AISLE SEAT IN THE ROW BEHIND ME. WE ARE TALKING. THERES A MAN SITTING NEXT TO ME, HE IS LEANING INTO ME SO HE CAN SEE THE TELLY. I SWAP SEATS WITH THE PERSON SITTING NEXT TO CHARLOTTE SQUESING PAST HER TO SIT IN THE WINDOW SEAT. A GIRL WHO I HAD MET CLUBBING IN CAMDEN OFFERS ME AND CHARLOTTE A SAUSAGE. THE GIRL GIVES IT TO ME AND ASKS IF I WANT IT COVERED IN CHOCLATE BATTER. I SAY NO, SHE CAN’T BELIEVE IT. CHARLOTTES FACE CHANGES SLIGHTLY SO RESEMBLING A GIRL I ONCE MET ON HOLIDAY WHOSE NAME I’VE LONG SINCE FORGOTTEN. CHARLOTTE ASKS ME IF I FOUND MY SOCKS FROM THE NIGHT BEFORE. I SAID NO AND THAT I DIDN’T THINK I MADE IT INTO BED WHEN I GOT HOME.
I GOT UP TO GET A DRINK FROM THE DRINKS DISPENSER AT THE FRONT OF THE COACH FOR 50P. THE DRINK GUSHES OUT OF THE MACHINE. I CUP MY HANDS IN AN EFFORT TO SAVE IT. THEN A BOTTLE APPEARS WITH JUST A LITTLE BIT OF DRINK IN IT. I FINISH WHATS IN THE BOTTLE AT THE FRONT OF THE COACH AND MAKE MY WAY BACK TO CHARLOTTE.
THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I’M IN FRONT OF A SCOTTISH BOSS SITTING AT A DESK. HE IS UNHAPPY THAT I BROKE THE MACHINE BY NOT USING ONE OF THE PLASTIC CUPS THAT WERE NEXT TO IT. HE ASKS IF I’VE SEEN TRAVIS. I SAID ONCE AT UNI. THIS SEEMED TO HAVE A CALMING EFFECT ON HIM PROB’LY ‘COS ‘TRAVIS’ ARE SCOTTISH TOO.
AT SOME POINT CHARLOTTE GOT UP. WHEN SHE CAME BACK I HAD MY ARM ON THE BACK OF HER CHAIR AND SHE SNUGLED UP TO ME. I FELT THE WARMTH OF HER UNDER MY WING.
SITTING ON THE 25 BUS DIFFERENT PEOPLE CHOOSING TO SAY HELLO OR TO IGNORE US. BACK ON THE COACH CHARLOTTE GETS UP AGAIN BUT THIS TIME WHEN SHE GETS BACK SHE SITS ON A DIFFERENT SEAT NEXT TO MINE WITH THE AISLE BETWEEN US. SHE STARTS TALKING TO ME AND I THINK OWELL. I FIND A MINI REFRESHER AND A WORTHERS ORIGINAL, WHICH ONE DO YOU WANT I SAY, SHE SAYS YOU CHOOSE, I SAY YOU ALWAYS LET ME CHOOSE ‘AV THE ONE YOU WANT, SHE TAKES THE REFRESHER