NICHOLAS

So it's Saturday; I'm back in London and I'm walking down Upper street, after going to see Olga (Olga is my waxer and boy have I missed her during my 5 months in South America). I have a whole productive day planned for myself, but even though I don't know it yet, this is all going to go to ruin, because the next minute I bump into Nicholas in the street. Nicholas is a friend of my housemate Alex who I have got to know over the years. He's one of those people you really shouldn't like: he's annoying, arrogant and talks a lot of shit, but for some strange reason you do end up liking him. He's also a terrible womaniser. I think he has lost count of how many women he has bedded. I would like to state now that I am not one of them, though he tries his hardest to get me into bed every time I see him. The first time I met him at a party, he came onto me even though I had a boyfriend at the time by telling me I looked like a beautiful Russian princess because I was drunk wearing a fur hat. I told him to piss off! Our relationship has been pretty much the same since.
So here he is in front of me. I haven't seen him in over six months. He's feeling good because he's lost over 2 stone in weight and he's completely smashed from partying the night before, stinks of alcohol and hasn't been to bed. The next thing I know, I'm sat in bar with him at eleven o'clock in the morning, with him saying let's get a drink.
"Just one Nic" I say determinedly "I have stuff I have to do today. I've got to go to my Osteopath soon."
Two hours later and completely drunk, stood outside a bar in Islington, I'm on the phone to my Osteopath.
"Hello. It's carly. I've got an appointment with you in 15 minutes. I'm afraid I can't make it. Someone has crashed into my car!"
"Oh no! Are you OK?"
"Yeah, I'm fine, but I have to wait for the AA to pick up my car. I know I'm cancelling last minute, so I'll just pay for the session."
"No! We can't charge you. It's not your fault you have had an accident. No charge at all and I hope you and your car are ok, Miss Griffith."
"Thanks so much and goodbye."
Oh my God! I really am going to go to hell this time, though I've actually realised I'm a better liar than I thought I was.
Since I got back from traveling, I've felt while I was away that everyone has settled down and are getting serious with their lives. As I'm not in this place at all in life, I've found it all a little scary. Who am I going to go out and party with anymore? Well a least there are always people like Nicholas, who will never settle down. Wrong! No something terrible has happened. Nicholas has fallen in love!
"But you can't be in love! Your Nicholas!" I protest.
"I am" he replies "I've met the woman for me. I can't get her out of my head. This is why I've lost so much weight. I can't eat, I can't sleep. She drives me crazy."
I sit listening in disbelief. I tell him I'm happy for him, which I am, but it's another person succumbing to growing up and it's Nicholas of all people! It scares me. As I sit there, I think maybe it's time, that I start to go up. Maybe I should try and become an adult.
A couple of hours and drinks later, with most of the conversation having been about "How in love" Nic is, I realise I'm completely drunk and can hardly see straight. Nic bundles me off into a taxi as he has to go to the ballet with his girl that night, even though he's wasted (actually there is nothing grown up about his behaviour at all). I finish my day with my head over the toilet bowl being sick for the first time in ages, my productive Saturday in tatters(Bloody Nicholas)! It was at that moment that the thought of becoming a little bit more grown up, didn't seem like a bad idea at all.