I'd been friends with Rosa for years. About twenty to be honest. When I first met her she was married to a guy I played rugby with. Rosa is my idea of gorgeous. She tells me that her figure then is almost identical to her figure now. I'm quite happy to believe that. It's now 46, 24, and 42 in old money. I can also tell you her tits drop about an inch when she takes her bra off. I know, I've measured it. They are without a doubt the best Christmas present I've ever had.
Two years ago a guy called Andy Vardy tracked me down in my new home, Llanaber, a little coastal Village just north of Barmouth in very Welsh Snowdonia.
I got a very surprising phone call. There was to be a 100th anniversary and Christmas bash at our old Rugby Club.
He said, "you both have free tickets, it's going to be a good do. We want to get as meany old farts as possible there. We have a caterer bringing food in and a '60's, 70's, 80's, disco and karaoke.
"I'd love to come mate but I only need one ticket I'm afraid. Kay died eighteen months ago in a road accident." Andy went into a fit of unnecessary frantic apologies. "Please don't Andy, apart from our Daughter we had nothing in common, to be honest our marriage was on its last legs.
The truth was it was never on steady legs and was a miracle we had papered over the cracks for so long. I didn't tell too many people, so you weren't to know. I'm over the worst now, and I'd love to come. If single men are welcome."
"Course they are buddy. Can you give AJ a ring? He and his missus are doing most of the organising,! I'll text his number to you. Sorry to be rude I've got about twenty of these calls to make."
"OK, cheers Andy. I'll see you and the delectable Julie at the do then."
"Yes, you will, see you".
So three months after that I pulled my car into the Rugby Club carpark. Things weren't going to plan. I'd tried to book into my hotel and had a very unsatisfactory excuse as to why I couldn't book in at the agreed time. They wouldn't even let me leave my car and cases there. I had to go back at 4. pm.
AJ and Kate were at the door doing the meeting and greeting a bit. So was Rosa, not too surprising as she, Kate and my Kay had been inseparable rugby windows back in the day. I loved Rosa, any red-blooded man would. I hated her husband with a passion. He was a self-centred shitbag who always seemed to be hiding something. Kay had always intimated things were not at all tickety-boo there. "Where the little shit then Rosa."
"Getting one up the arse from his boyfriend I would imagine she said."
The way AJ and Kate suddenly found the curtains so interesting made me realise I had put my foot in my big mouth again, I have a gift for it.
Rosa took my arm and made the right noises about Kay as she led me to the bar. "Can I ask about Mike?"
Well, that depends on what you want to ask?"
"Has he come out"
"Yes", she said. "You never did like him did you, Kevin, why was that?"
"I didn't like the way he treated you for one reason. Another was I didn't trust him. I never once heard him own a fuckup. It was always someone else fault. When it went wrong he was always looking to blame. When it went right it was his doing."
"Old Trevor, do you remember him? He christened him Mutly, Dick Dastardly's dog, the one who always wanted a medal for himself and fuck the rest of the team."
"Yes. I was married to a bum bandit for twenty years. You and Aunty Rose were right all along."
"How is your Aunty Rose?" I asked after I finished laughing.
"She's still good. Still looking after me, she is my mum in all but name.
"Yeh, I've known that since the first day I met her, at your birthday party, do you remember, I thought she was your mum."
"I'm going to see her tomorrow."
"Does she still lives in Tandridge?"
"Yes, still in that big house all on her own. She bought a place in Wales, I've been a few times for a couple of weeks it's nice but I don't think is a very friendly place."
"Where in wales?"
"It's called the Elan Vally."
"I know it well. I live about 60 miles north of that. In Snowdonia on the coast. It's a very friendly place but the welsh are not too keen on people with holiday homes. They see them as non-contributors."
"They buy a bag of groceries from their local Tesco and drive up on petrol bought from their local garage. Then they stay a weekend, eat their Tesco food and drive home to fill the car, again, back at their local garage."
I went on "No community benefits from holiday homes and the welsh are big on community. Come up and stay with me for a month, I'll show you, different people."
"Are you serious Kevin? I'd love to. Can we go up to the top of Snowden? I've never even seen it."
"We can go the long way, the short way or we can catch a train."
"No. Don't be horrible to me."
Because Mike was a twat he used to belittle Rosa in front of everyone. So a lot of people thought she was stupid. She is far from stupid but her confidence needs a real good kick up the arse.
Not only did she have the misfortune to meet and marry Mike, but her parents also died when she was two, she was brought up by a nanny who abused her then her guardians, an aunt and uncle. They sent her to private school. There she was the big fat goofy girl who dropped the ball in rounders and let all the goals in at hockey because goalkeeper was the only position they let her play.
"No honestly Rosey my sweet. There is a train that goes to the top of Snowden, I explained it was a special mountain rack and pinion system. She was still unconvinced so I got my phone out to Google a picture of the train at the top of the mountain.
I noticed I had a message on my phone from the hotel group I was using for the long weekend I had planned around this dinner disco thing. I opened it to read the good news that my room had been double booked and they were throwing me out on my ear.
I couldn't help the involuntary "Bastards" that escaped my lips. Rosa looked concerned, "what's the matter, Kevin," she asked.
"It appears, my sweet, I haven't got a bed for the night."
"I can put you up for the night," Rosa said. Then before I could make my stupid mouth say yes she added "please".
"Rosa, I would love that, are we talking spare bed or setee?"
"I've only got a one-bedroom flat at the moment and the setee is much too small for you!"
That was the point I looked into Rosa's very impressive cleavage and thought my thanks to Santa that Christmas. OK, the 22nd of December is a bit early to unwrap your presents but I'm still a kid at heart.
I don't know any kid that doesn't try to get a sneak preview of their presents before Christmas morning. Also with a bit of luck, I'll be opening them on Christmas day as well.
Katy is a star, she runs her and AJ's life on rails. I've known them both for the same twenty years I've known Rosa. The lack of bumps and sharp bends has nothing to do with AJ at all, he's just as big a kid as I am.
She was keeping an eye on the pair of us. When we were called to dinner Rosa and I were seated opposite each other with Andy Vardy and his missus Judy on one side and AJ and Kate on the other.
I was a bit puzzled, as was Rosa. The four of them seemed to know we were going to be sleeping together tonight. As I have said, I've known this mob for years, my puzzeldness was turning into deep suspicion.
When it was pudding time, I eat puddings, not sweet! Sweets you buy in a corner shop. Vardy interrupted the waitress as she asked me what I wanted. Don't worry about him love he's going to be having Rosey pie for pudding later. Everyone in the room broke into fits of laughter except Rosa and me.
I just shook my head, Rosa turned scarlet. Just for a second, I thought she was going to do a runner, so I did my party piece and touched my nose with my tongue. Judy looked at me, shook her head then said to Katy. "Your right, they don't grow up, the humour never gets past willies and farts, does it?"
The disco was great. The younger kids were pissed off at first but the DJ had it sewn up. He had the place jumping until gone two in the morning with their stuff. He catered for us older attendees up until midnight with rock and roll, brit pop, soul and just about anything between 1950 and 1999.
There was lots of old Rock 'n' Roll and some 50's R&B again I think engineered by our mutual friends. Back in the day Rosa and I cleared the dance floor jiving together. I'm not too bad, she is bloody good.
When the DJ let AJ know he was switching to the sort of song where a bloke was going to put a cap in ya arse or a bird with a bad attitude singing about her minge it was time for us to go.
Judy who is Rosa's best friend cornered me. "If you fuck her about. I'll get AJ and my big lump to hold you down and I'll cut that world-famous dick of yours off. Don't smirk, I know, I've seen it, in this very room. Trust me here Kevin, she is my best friend and I know she doesn't need any more disappointment in her life"
"Don't worry Judy. I think we are going to work well together. You know I don't fuck women about. I never cheated on Kay, you know that. I never got much out of her either."
"I don't think she ever wanted a man. Just a nice home, a kid or two and a dog curled up in front of the fire. I hope Rosa and I are going to make up for lost time, both of us."
"I must admit though, I didn't know you batted for the other side as well! If you get it on again with her can I watch it?" I narrowly avoided her right hand at that point.