Simon met Steve
With his trousers askew
Like a man who knew what he was doing
But not why.
Steve met Ray
At a time when neither of them
Could bear a trip to the States
But both had Business Class.
Ray met Charles
When they realised through laughing
That together they had soul
And one bad eye.
Charles met Richard
When Richard was fourteen
And employed by the News of the World
As a man catcher.
Richard met Dave
In the dock of the Harlow magistrates
Where Dave looked sheepish
But his breath smelled of goat.
Dave met Stu
With his ears to the wall,
His eyes to the ceiling
And his knees all damp.
Stu met Keith
As Keith got struck dumb
At the moment he pushed through the windscreen
And tried to change gears.
Keith met Robert
As Robert held his wrists
And timed a good 62 on his watch
And smiled like a slice of melon.
Robert met Alex
When Alex caught a thumb in a mincer
And told jokes about falling
Into electrical appliance shops
Alex met Pete
With his arm in a sling
And his face full of buboes
And a graphful of antigens.
Then Pete met Simon
Who met Steve
Who met Ray
Who lunched with Charles
Who met Richard
Who met Dave
Who laughed with Stu
Who met Keith
Who met Robert
Who grinned with Alex
As they started to work out the Maths.
