The Jazz Lounge

"I've had enough" he declared as he sat down heavily beside me. I had never seen this bloke before and at first I thought he was talking about my sax playing. It soon became obvious what he was on about. "I've had a ruck with me missus and walked out - she's a right pain in the arse". I mumbled some sympathies with his plight which only encouraged him.

"You married mate?" he asked. I replied that I was. "Well, then you know what it's like don't cha?" "Err... not exactly. I get on well with my wife." "How do you do that then?- what's the secret". I thought for a moment and said "Don't know really - we get on well together, do things together, laugh a lot, and talk a lot". He sighed "we don't do none of that - all she does is moan about me, how I drink too much, and leave her at home when I go out with my mates".

"Have you tried talking to her and doing some of the things that she likes?." "Not really there's no point in it is there". "How do you know if you haven't tried it?" He thought for a moment and then declared "Ok, thanks mate, it's been good talking to you - helped a lot".

He stood up gazed out to sea and then turned to me with a serious look "Time to celebrate then - which pub would you recommend?" It was 06:45 in the morning.

"Any of them I guess"