He opened the door with an unsteady hand and stepped inside on unreliable legs. He nodded to his accomplice and listened to the first bars of the song. She was sitting on a stool and had her back to him. He saw her glance up in a flicker of recognition before she continued with her conversation. He walked slowly behind her, now on steadier legs and reached her halfway through the intro. His accomplice in the green T-shirt spoke to her.

‘Excuse me, Bernadette - my friend would like to ask you something.’

She spun on her stool.

He looked into her eyes and forced the words out through his desert of a mouth.

‘Bernadette, would you do me the honour of dancing with me?’

She hesitated for a moment, before she slipped off the stool and placed her arms gently on his shoulders as the singer found his voice.

‘A Love struck Romeo, sings a streetsuss serenade

Laying everybody low, with a love song that he made

Finds a convenient street light, step’s out of the shade

And says something like, you and me babe how about it?’

She moved closer. He felt his heart beating faster and louder than it ever had before. Until he realised it was hers. They swayed in silence as the song gently faded and died. He let go of her so he could look at her.

But she was gone!

He saw the door closing behind her. This time he didn’t wait. He was at the door and into the street before it closed. She was running now towards Broadway. He ran after her. He called her name. She didn’t stop. She ran into the glare of the neon lights. He felt the burning of yesterday’s blisters but didn’t stop. He couldn’t stop. He felt the fear in his stomach but didn’t stop. He knew if he lost sight of her, he’d never see her again. For the moment, he could see her clearly. She was just in front of him. He called after her again.

‘Bernadette, please stop! Please don’t leave me here! I beg you, please stay with me! Don’t leave me here on my own!’

She turned right. He turned to follow her and ran straight into the chest of a startled and now tumbling theatre-goer. He picked himself and the uninjured, but swearing tourist off the freezing pavement. His eyes searched the illuminated street. He started to run, but he didn’t know the direction she had gone. He slowed and stopped at the end of the street. There were three roads branching off in different directions. He ran to the edge of each of them. It was hopeless. She was gone! He fell to his knees. He tore at his shirt. He screamed her name. But he knew. It was finally over.

He was still sobbing and mumbling incoherently when he was aware of someone standing in front of him. He wiped his face with the back of his jacket.