Chapter 57

The Winford Inn off Palmerston Road, Southsea, was a typical student drinking den.

One of the hockey teams was already standing around the bar. There was a rush to order the jugs of lager before happy hour came to a close. In essence the students were receiving four pints for the price of three so they were keen to line up their drinks. The bar staff were having difficulty keeping up and the landlord promptly rang the bell to indicate his establishment was taking last happy hour orders.

Many of the students were scrambling around for any spare pennies in their pockets. They were attempting to pool together to see if they had enough money between them for another jug, or alternatively whether their group would hit the pool table or the quiz machine.

A couple of locals were enjoying the comfort of the cushioned corner seats and discussing the merits of the new European player who had been bought for a phenomenal sum for their local football team. Would this one player make the impact that they needed? Expectations were high. The player had to perform to ensure their team remained out of the relegation zone.

In the restaurant, connected by the archway that had been knocked through a couple of years ago to create this dining extension, and delineated by more modern laminate flooring instead of the traditional large paving slabs, there were a couple of parties who were finishing up their late, three course lunches.

Some students had their parents to visit for the weekend. In order that they could have a decent meal, courtesy of their parents, and exchange information about their life in Portsmouth for the most recent family news, the Winford made for a reliable location.

Archie had managed to order a pitcher of the happy hour lager and was reading through the local newspaper. There was no breaking news, just the usual local parliamentary candidates views, moaning about rubbish collection rates and car crime and the worrying trend of increased vandalism depressing further the existing poor state of the retail high street. With nothing grabbing his attention, Archie looked up and was pleased to see David enter with a small group from the water-polo team.

David headed over to Archie and Archie offered him a drink from the pitcher. It felt like old times when they had shared a house together. David was attempting to clear his nose as the chlorine in the swimming pool water had irritated his eyes and he sneezed. Archie asked him how he was and what David was up to. David seemed a little shifty. He went through what he was studying on his engineering degree, confirming that he was not enjoying this semester as there was far too much theory and not enough practical. He mentioned that he was still living in the hall of residence in the city centre as a senior student and was still playing mixed hockey, water-polo and bell-ringing at St. Mary’s regularly.

Archie congratulated David on the St. Mary’s striking contest win and asked him if he had seen Emma recently. David blurted out that Emma was popping over to the pub in the next ten minutes or so, and that they were going to the Athletics Union Ball the following night.

Many male students thought Emma extremely attractive and her house on Kent Road in Southsea was one that most of the guys on her course would be thinking up excuses to visit. With her slightly curly brown locks, and slim yet curvy figure she was very popular. In addition, her kind and caring nature and positive outlook on life ensured that those who spent time with her enjoyed the company. These natural qualities made people fall in love with Emma.

“Oh,” said Archie, “that will be nice for you.”

“It sure will,” said David, “you know I’m thinking about asking Emma to move in with me.”

The conversation became strained and Archie could not concentrate again. David and Emma’s friendship appeared to have progressed to something more since his birthday Canadian canoeing on the River Wye.

Archie was going to the Athletics Union Ball anyway as he was well known in student social circles. As his front was that he was undertaking PhD work in connection with oceanography, he did not have a readily available crowd to go with but he’d been looking forward to catching up with Emma and David. He was now not sure whether he wanted to go and see two of his best friends together. One whom he had known for years and one much more recent, but he did not want to see them as a couple, it was not right.

Archie wished David well, confirmed he had to finish off writing up yet another part of his research analysis, and that he would see them both the following night at the Student Union.