Alex and I passed a couple of hours in the dimly lit Dublin pub, chatting and watching the drinkers ebb and flow. The mother and daughter headed off, another group of friends arrived, talking loudly about a gig they were going to in the Olympia later, some singer-songwriter I’d never heard of but Alex said was good.

Finally I checked my watch and dragged us back outside. The streetlights were on and people hurried past, heading home from work or carrying heavy bags of shopping. We took a couple of shortcuts that led onto Drury Street and Alex began to guess at possible dinner venues but he didn’t get it right. Finally I stopped outside the Brazilian restaurant I’d found online. “Here we are.” 

Its front wall was all glass and inside had a canteen style to it with expos...

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