See you in another 18 months then

Friend of mine was back from his travels last night, visiting London after an impressive sounding 18 months away.

There was a real sense of anticipation about meeting him again. I last saw him on Westminster Bridge, and when I called him to say I was at St Paul's, he said he was on the footbridge. I told him to wait there, and 5 minutes later I was walking across the Thames, the sunset casting an orangey glow over the cold sleek metals of the bridge and the middle-aged brown waters of the ancient river. The only sound was a piper on Bankside, playing a haunting tune that seemed to rise and fall with the very wind.

I got to the end of the bridge, and still there was no sign of my mate. He texted me to say he was now in the turbine hall. No sunset this time, but still a good place to see someone I haven't seen in a very long time. Eventually I picked him out amongst the statues, and finally he walked over and shook my hand.

"Great to see you." I said, "You haven't changed a bit."

"You look a bit different" he replied. "You look like you've put on some weight, especially around your stomach."