Jose

It was my birthday - or more correctly the night of my birthday celebration. I'd gathered a group of friends and we'd descended on a Turkish restautant and then headed off to Popstars to continue the celebrations. It was a real fun evening and towards the end of it I hooked up with Jose and got dancing. Jose was the first (I think) of a string of Spanish flings and one-nighters. He was a fashion design student at St Martin's and full of fun. My friend Chris called him the boy with the belts - because on the night we met he was wearing a number of them (such was the fashion that season!). He was a sweetie and one of my abiding memories is of walking hand in hand from the Village in Soho through to Leicester Sq station (and of feeling self-conscious, vulnerable and incredibly flattered by this). Nothing really came of this mutual infatuation - and while I don't think the age gap between us was a big deal it was hard to see how the lifestyle difference (student going out late on weeknights on a regular basis and missing morning classes vs. reliable working boy) would have worked out. Despite this I remember Jose (and wonder what happened to him) because he did make me feel so good about myself (at a time when maybe I needed that affirmation). I hope he's doing well!