Confidence was the first thing that struck me about the man who pushed through the door. To my horror he moved towards Jenny and kissed her on her cheek. I had to look away. I stood there with my hand in my pocket and she introduced him to me as Jerome and I distinctly remember that he didn’t wait to hear my name. Instead he asked me to bring him a pint of Guinness.

I felt as if I had been firmly put in my place as I pulled Jerome’s pint and there was a slight heaviness in my heart when I brought it over. Who was this guy and what the hell was Jenny doing with him? Jenny looked away as I put the pint on the table and she kept well out of the transaction with money, as though she was uncomfortable with it. I threw down a couple of beer mats. Jerome sat on a bar stool, his back held straight. He had removed his trenchcoat to reveal a fitted navy shirt. He wore a brown tie, it was thin and had a slightly woven effect. I had to admit he cut a fine shape of a man. As I turned my back on him to go to help Andy behind the bar, I could hear him speaking in a loud voice to Jenny.

What a day I’ve had. It was mental.

I didn’t wait to hear any more. It wasn’t easy but I kept my cool. I got busy wiping my beer-stained hands on my apron and tried to zone out the noise that was building up in the pub. I returned to my sanctuary behind the bar. People began to thicken around me. We picked up our pace, myself and Andy. Most of the crowd were coming in from the cultural organizations in Temple Bar. The suits became outnumbered. There was a certain pleasure in that. There was a buzz and I couldn’t see Jenny because she was hidden by the wall of drinkers. I looked over in the direction of where they were sitting but I didn’t think it would be appropriate if I went over to their table again. I hoped that I wasn’t going to regret this decision, and I worried all the time that she might leave with Jerome without saying goodbye.