Half an hour later, James steps out of a cab in front of an old haunt, the Admiral Codrington, in Mossop Street. The pub had become the preferred meeting place when he and his army friends were back on leave from Germany. The last time he had been here was five years previously, when he had brought Nicky for a drink. He pushes the thought from his mind and walks into the smoky bar, looking around for Andy, who he sees sitting at a table in the far corner.
Andy stands up and the two men shake hands. Andy looks rough but, then again, he often does. His hair is all over the place and he has dark rings under his eyes, giving them a sunken look.
‘I need a drink; what can I get you?’ James says, before Andy can offer.
James returns with four glasses on a tray.
‘No point queuing for the next one if you don’t have to,’ he says, putting two down in front of Andy, who murmurs his thanks.
James picks up his glass and takes a huge gulp, then another.
‘God, that’s good!’ he says before looking across at Andy. He hasn’t touched his beer.
‘I suppose you’ve heard, then,’ he says.
‘Yes, Mum saw it in the papers yesterday. She sends her condolences.’ Andy must have realised how formal and stiff he sounded and suddenly blurts out, ‘I’m no good at this sort of thing. Sorry, James.’
‘Don’t worry, nobody is, least of all me. How is your mum? I haven’t seen her for ages.’
For a while their conversation is very stilted and James begins to wish he had taken up Rob’s offer but, once the beers start to take effect, they both relax and begin to reminisce about earlier, happier days in the army, before Andy’s injury had robbed him of his bright future. James can’t remember who had suggested moving on to whisky but, by the time he has downed his second double, he realises he is very drunk. They both are.
James tells Andy about his regret at leaving the army and Nicky’s lack of empathy and, in response, Andy tells James the old story about the breakdown of his own relationship, which James has heard a hundred times. To shut him up, James starts describing his own marriage difficulties and Nicky’s indifference to him.
‘Well, it turns out she was a cheating bitch just like all the rest of them.’ Andy speaks so savagely that James reels back. He is shaken by the bitterness of Andy’s words, but there is something else, something that unsettles him even more. But he is struggling to think clearly and whatever it is recedes into his subconscious.
After his outburst, Andy sits looking into the distance for a few seconds and then starts telling James about the veterans’ meeting he went to the previous evening. It is as if their conversation of a few minutes before hasn’t taken place.
Before Andy can elaborate, James interrupts him. Even in his inebriated state, he realises he has probably made a mistake in coming out this evening and it’s time to call it a day.
‘Listen, I’ll pay for your taxi home, Andy. It was good of you to come all this way.’
He steers Andy outside and they stand in silence waiting for a black cab to come past which, much to James’s relief, happens almost immediately.
‘I’ll be in touch soon,’ James slurs as he half pushes Andy into the taxi and closes the door firmly. He stumbles slightly as he steps back onto the pavement and swears under his breath.