Love is not time's fool

Sally finds herself happy in her age-gap relationship - but can it really work out?

- Audrey Parkinson

Sally, a second year student, was walking behind one of the college tutors, known by the students as 'History Sam', or 'HS' for short. Suddenly, he dropped his newspaper. Sally picked it up and handed it to him, exclaiming: “Oh, my dad reads this!”

“A wise man,” smiled H.S.

“Yes, he is,” returned Sally.

“I’ve not seen you around the campus,” said HS. “Why don’t you come to one of my coffee mornings?”

HS's coffee mornings were notorious at the university. They lasted well into the afternoon and didn’t simply consist of coffee - wine and beer were also on the menu. Students used to claim, jokingly, that it took them until the next week to recover.

Sally thought she would go out of curiosity, if nothing else.

The company was mixed; some she knew, but most of them she didn’t. HS came to her at once and welcomed her warmly. She decided not to stay too long, but she thought she'd go again when HS ‘held court’.

In the meantime, she seemed to bump into him quite often. While their greeting was quite embarrassing, she had to admit to herself, that in spite of the age difference, she found him attractive and felt that the feeling was mutual.

One day, in the university bookshop, she found herself leaving as he was entering. He came out with her and suggested a coffee and a chat.

“About what?” asked Sally.

“Oh, who knows?” replied HS. Sally knew she was drawn to him but didn’t want to appear too eager.