A friendly middle aged woman greeted us and explained the layout of the club.
It was relatively empty when we arrived and so we ordered some drinks and took a stroll around the various rooms: open rooms with beds, smaller, private rooms with glass fronted doors, one large room with a bed the size of four doubles put together and the ‘grope box’ (a cabin-like box with various holes intended for people to touch anonymously).
We had a few hours before the club opened and so rapidly moved onto a less busy pub where we could sit and talk.
As I ordered at the bar, he took a call from the economist asking whether he was free to meet for drinks.
He arrived in a taxi, looking incredibly dashing with his crisp white shirt and smart jacket.
He apologised for choosing such a busy pub, went to order a beer and joined me outside.
The irony of the situation was not lost on either of us.
