The Beginning of the Affair - Introducing the players

We met at college. Not quite love at first sight but it was more than just lust.

I was a mongrel brought up within a working class family located in the shires. A product of a scottish-american bi-lateral agreement sometime in the early sixties. I remember little of my early life save for the moment I first tasted heart ache.

I sat on the cold floor in a dark room playing with a few toys. My mother, alight from the beam of sun that managed to get through the 'best' room into the living room, was opening a letter. She burst into tears. I tried to console her but was brushed away.

I watched and listened during the next hours. My mother relayed the message to my aunt and grandmother. "*x*****" is dead.

I did not fully understand who this was, or indeed the implications of a death and what it meant for us. 'Us' was my mum, two year old sister and me.

My father, a US Serviceman had died. His death was to save us. His veterans pension provided the food on the table that had been missing for sometime. I had not known him. I was later to discover neither did my mother. She had left him in the states some years earlier with my unborn sister.

My future wife, a product of a now middle class family from 'brum' who had climbed out of the working class environment they had descended from, was a clever and bright girl. Confidence was bound all a round her. She knew exactly what she wanted and strived hard to achieve it.

Very attractive, she caught my eye as she walked from her dorm to the reception of the residential block. I was going to meet her. Over the months I learnt of her boyfriend away on work experience. Undeterred I pursued her.

We spent many nights in her room. It was more homely than mine and located above the ground which was also a bonus - more light. Within months the year and the course was over. It was time to say good-bye. She was off to create her career and I was too continue my own.

As a last farewell, I travelled 300 miles to her home. Parents away abroad, an opportunity existed to indulge ourselves one more time - or to enable a future to evolve.

During my few days we engaged in a number of mutually agreeable activities. An excellent host in a fantastic home. She provided me with a tour of her home town and we walked along the cliffs. Once back in the comfort I anticipated a loving celebration of promise, once we had tasted once more the gratification of coupling. But no. I was duped. I thought it was love.

She began to explain her relationship and the subsequent bracelet that the young man had provided. I had been a fool. He was still the boyfriend and had no knowledge of our coupling. God she was good at covering that up.

That's all for now folks.