“You know I didn’t have a choice,” I said “I told you all along that my marriage and family come first.” “Yeah, but you could have calle...d me just once, or even emailed, sent up smoke signals, anything,” he replied “I was kind of, well, hurt.” “Look, I’m really sorry,” I told him “but when your wife finds out you’ve been fucking around on the side, and basically tells you to make your choice, and to make it for good, well, you’d better do it.” “So why are you calling now?” he asked. So I. It was really more honky-tonk than dance hall but they did pull in great bands. The place had been around since the thirties — my mom and dad used to go there and dance.It must have been the third time I was there — sometime in mid-November - I ran into an old friend of mine... more of a drinking buddy really. I think he considered me more of a buddy than I did of him. In fact, when I ran into him I had to stop and think of his name. I knew it was Joe something... yeah, Joe Atkins.I waved to. She sometimes doubted whether he actually fancied her, but stayed with him because, she felt that he was good in all other ways, after all, she thought, sex wasn't everything.Sylvia was a bit of a wall flower and had never had a boyfriend, despite now being in her thirties.Away from home, the girls were having a great time. Exploring Amsterdam and all it's delights. One evening they decided to explore the famous Red Light district. It was so chilled out, not at all seedy like they feared. After. At some point, there would have been a crack, something small that gave him away. ‘Yoo-hoo? Aidan?’ French called him back to the here and now. ‘I’m sorry,’ he’d said abstractedly. ‘I’m having a little trouble synthesizing this.’ ‘Ha. You’re having trouble. Imagine my utter delight when I met him in your parents’ driveway last night!’ ‘Paddy would never do that…’ No, Paddy wouldn’t – couldn’t – but, Hurst could. Aidan believed that Paddy or Hurst – hell, whoever – had probably compartmentalized.