Foreplay

A three year old post about an affair that happened far too long ago, on the telephone and in bed, near Glasgow

"Oh, fuck off, Alec. Just FUCK OFF. You haven't got a clue."

"I could come over and we could take Corrie for a walk..."

"Fancy a nice little break from poncing around with your nicey-nicey middle class friends, do you?"

"Actually, I've spent the day on my own, reading..."

"Oh, why didn't I think of spending my Sunday reading? Might it have something to do with the fact that my we'un has been sick all over the carpet, and she won't stop crying, and I burnt the toast cos the bread was too old and I can't be arsed to clean the cooker, and anyway I got no money for food, have I? Six weeks until i have any more, because I walked out of that job, and you say I shouldn;t have walked out, but I tell you Alec, and I can't take any more of this. DON'T DO THAT CORRIE YOU'LL GET AN ELECTRIC SHOCK. I'm going out of my head."

She's in East Kilbride. I'm 12 miles away, in the West End of Glasgow. Too many years ago...

"No, they were rude to you at the job, you had every right to walk out. Why won't you take some of my money, Fran, just to get you out of this hole?"

"No way. You just don't get it, do you? Go back to your University tomorrow and do the oh-look-at-me- I'm-so-clever Professor thing, and l'll do my best to clean up the carpet so my mum doesna slag me off when she comes round. It's all my fault isn't it? They think it's all my fault."

"I don't think it's your fault."

"You do, but. You do!"

"I can't help it if you don't believe me..."

"What's that music?"

"It's Beethoven. A piano sonata."

"It's nice. Do you remember that concert we went to? Alec, I just can't take it anymore."

We're in love. It's hopeless.

"I know your life is shit. I just wish I could do something about it. I was wondering..."

"Fancy a fuck?"

"Right now?'

"Well, there's no point in hanging around, is there?"

"Oh, Fran, I've gone all hard just thinking about it."