Our first holiday to Spain, where we'd be staying with my friend. Allan made an instant impresion on my mate Graeme, who agreed with me that he was the ideal partner for me. Allan quickly did what he usually does, and began to help Graeme do wee jobs. he was particulalrly pleased that Graeme had his fish in the two outdoor ponds, and they spent quite a while looking at them and discussing the pros and cons of fishkeeping. Allan was particularly taken with the black goldfish. One night we were all sitting together watching TV, when Allan rushed out of the roo, and out onto the terrace. He was inconsolable, crying and wailing like a wounded animal. It was only after several hours that he calmed down, then I found out that it was approaching the anniversary of Allan's Mum dying. The triggere? An episode of "the Ghost Whisperer" when one of the characters expressed a wish to see his departed mother just one more time... Oh my poor man, such a tortured soul! We lay in bed that night and I held him close to me, comforting him and being there. This was one of the times when I was so glad I was there with Allan, I just knew our lives were intermingled for ever and I was elated.