The Girl in the Red Jumper...Episode 3

Pink blossom, the deliciously sweet smell of the poplars and the early evening calls of roosting birds - the end of a sun snoozing Saturday and the story calls me back. If you remember, we had just entered the bistro-bar, packed with an eclectic mix of Totnes's finest and lo and behold, she was there and... 'Zack and I gave each other a clandestine look and a cheeky smile of recognition as we took our seats at a table in the corner.'

By this time he had named her, convinced that if he were to address her with the said epithet she would instantly respond; she was 'Shia' (could she have been anything else?)

An extremely pleasant evening of food and wine and fine conversation interspersed with the searching looks from Zack and by the time we were leaving, she was nowhere to be seen and we walked the empty streets back to his 'buddy's place, where they disappeared off to enjoy their... 'benefits!' Meanwhile, I clambered over boxes and black sacks to ascend the bed in the spare room, likewise filled with boxes and black sacks brimming with clothes and sundry household items, magazines and shoes.

A fitful night, an early morning walk to the train station and I was on my way back to Looe!

A week later, early on a Saturday morning, (certainly before the seagulls were up) after numerous pints of soul-searching angst with the smitten man; his voice on the phone, urgent, desperate, pleading..."Dude; we've got to go back to Totnes and find her!"

Only episodes 4 and 5 to go.

As the delightfully dulcet tones of Roy Ebden would utter at the end of his radio show: “If you have been, thanks for listening.”