Southend U3A

AA - Ann Southwood

November 2012

Dave straightened his tie, pulled his jacket tighter around him and stopped outside the door. 'You going in mate, only you're blocking the way.'

'Sorry.'

'Well move out the way then.'

'Ok.' Dave sidestepped to let the man pass.

'Thanks mate, see you in there, that is, if you are going in.'

'Yes,' said Dave hesitantly and then with firm resolve pushed the door and stepped into the Flying Horse . . .

The Flying Horse had been Dave's local since he had moved into the area ten years ago. He had loved the friendliness created by the landlord Ken, the comfort of the seating placed around the shining wooden tables, the glow of the fire in the large brick fireplace, the way the flames were reflected in the glasses hanging above the polished bar; even in summer the whole place gleamed and exuded a homeliness that he had never found in any other pub. He had made new friends, joined in the quiz nights, played dominoes and threw darts for the team until disaster struck three years ago. 'Was it only three years ago?' Dave mused as he glanced around, it could have been yesterday because nothing seemed to have changed. Except he had. Four years ago Dave was happily married to Susie, they both had good jobs and they lived comfortably in a nice three bedroom house. Then one day Susie told him she was leaving him. She had fallen in love with her boss and they were going to live together.

Dave looked at her in amazement. 'Your boss? You've got a woman boss, unless there's a man you haven't told me about.'

'That's right,' said Susie. 'My boss, Amanda, who is a woman and we love each other and want to be together.'

Dave sank down into a chair his mind a whirl of conflicting thoughts hardly able to take it in. 'Susie, is this a joke?'

'No, Dave, I'm sorry to have landed this on you but there was no other way I could tell you. You know we haven't been getting on for ages and Amanda was sympathetic and listened and we just clicked and gradually we both realized we wanted each other.'

Dave could not believe what he had just heard. Ok, their sex life had been almost non-existent lately but he had put that down to pressure at work and the fact that they couldn't have children. They had given up trying to conceive after three miscarriages as Susie had said the strain was too much for her but he loved her. How could she do this to him? He struggled to understand and tried to talk to Susie but she had made up her mind. He had heard about men who had been married for twenty or more years and when the children had grown up decided to 'come out' and declare they were gay but Susie . . . not in a million years would he have guessed she was a closet gay. What would his friends say or his colleagues at work or the patrons of the Flying Horse. He would never live this down.

Once Susie had gone he found it hard to concentrate at work. He took to having a drink at lunchtime and then stopping at the Flying Horse every night until Ken took him aside and said he had to pull himself together, as he was making a fool of himself, telling all and sundry about the situation, and his customers were complaining about his behaviour. Dave stopped going to the Flying Horse, he was hauled over the coals at work, narrowly missing being sacked. The house was a mess, he was a mess, his drinking escalated out of control until one day he passed out at work and was taken to hospital. The doctor said this was a wake-up call and if Dave persisted in drinking he was on the road to certain ruin, not just financially but death through sclerosis of the liver and other complications that could occur with the demon drink. He was kept in hospital for two days having tests and eventually came out of his stupor realizing he had only himself to blame for his state and was determined not to become an alcoholic.

Dave sold the house, the sale going through quite quickly. Susie had her share and with his share bought a little flat which he let on a six month lease and took himself off to Cornwall. He only meant to have an extended holiday but liked it so much he stayed, resigned from his job in the city and took any work he was offered, in restaurants, shops anything that put money in his pocket. He also met Jenny, a lively divorcee easy on the eye and good fun to be with. They became inseparable and Dave decided to sue for divorce from Susie.

Two years later the divorce became absolute and Dave had never been happier. Then one day he had a phone call. 'Dave, its Amanda, I need your help, please can you come back and help me with Susie. She started drinking heavily and couldn't cope with our relationship.'

Dave interrupted, 'We're divorced, Amanda, I don't know what you expect me to do.'

'Please Dave.'

So Dave went. He had arranged to meet Amanda in a coffee shop in the High Street and was shocked when he saw Susie; she was almost skeletal and obviously hung over. He leaned over and said, 'I can't help you, either of you, but I suggest that Susie signs up to Alcoholics Anonymous.'