Hello, she said.

Hello there, I said

Been a while, she said

It has, I said

Two years, she said.

Nearer three, I said.

You are looking very well, she said.

Thanks, you look pretty good yourself, I said.

That’s kind but not really true.

Of course it is.

Are you still in the same place?

Yes, same house, same street.

Funny we never bump into one another.

Yes, weird.

Avoiding each other, I guess?

Not intentionally.

Same here.

Did things work out ok for you and Fred?

In a way they did.

Settled now then I suppose.

Not really.

You left in a hell of a hurry.

Sorry about that, she said.

Old bones, nothing to chew over, I said.

I suppose not, she said.

Better that way, I said.

It was a bad time, she said.

For everyone, I said.

Yes, everyone, she said.

Anyway I hope you are both happy now, I said.

Well it was really good to see you again, she said.

For me too, I said.

Maybe we will bump into each other again sometime, she said.

I hope so, I said.

That would be nice, a coffee or something, maybe, she said.

By the way, how is Fred? I said.

Fred’s dead, she said…

Copyright Chris Adam Smith 2012