‘This is so hard,’ I whimpered, letting my arms drop to my sides. It felt like I’d been carrying a bag of bricks. Ben grinned like a Cheshire cat, pleased with himself.

‘What’s your goal then? Do you want to start boxing?’ Jason asked. He took the pads off Ben and danced around me. I raised my arms once more, my energy almost gone, and tried to strike out.

‘I’m not sure. I mean, I’d like to build myself up a bit, get fitter, but I’m not sure about fighting,’ I wheezed. I used to think three minutes in a ring was no time at all, but the physical exertion was immense. I staggered and sat on the mat, catching my breath. I was done. Ben sat down beside me, his skin glistened. He was slim but broad in the shoulders and I hadn’t really noticed the size of his biceps before now. Warmth flooded my face and I looked away.

‘Well, I reckon you could do with some weights. Get some protein in you and start lifting and you should see results quite quickly. Feel free to come and use the equipment here.’ Jason grinned, and I was waiting for him to ask me to sign on the dotted line. Twelve months of gym membership I couldn’t afford, but he didn’t. Instead, he carefully removed the gloves and placed an ice pack on my swollen knuckles. The cold a welcome relief.

We had tea in his office and a couple of younger guys came in to train whilst we were there. I watched them through the glass, amazed by how fast they could move and the power behind their punches. When they began sparring in the ring, I was captivated. Ben and Jason chatted about old times, a few years previous, when they had both worked as weekend nightclub bouncers for a bit of extra cash.

‘Do you remember Pacino?’ Jason asked, nudging Ben’s shoulder. The actor’s name caught my attention and I turned back to the conversation.

‘God yeah, he liked a good scrap, didn’t he.’ Ben chuckled.

Jason caught sight of my confused expression and elaborated. ‘This guy, I forget his real name, he loved action movies, the more violent, the better. His favourite actor was Al Pacino. We had a row one night, making conversation, you know, when the door was quiet. I said Tom Hanks was the best actor of our generation and he went into one. From then on, he was known as Pacino. Loved getting stuck in to a fight – and he did all right with the ladies too.’

‘I think that was why he worked on the door,’ Ben added.

‘It was why we all did,’ Jason winked at Ben and continued to reminisce about the women from those days.