© Sara L. Russell, for Alison

In days when Alison came round to tea
It seemed that anything could so amuse,
We both could sit and giggle endlessly,
Only our parents' records sang the blues.
We hardly could look in each others eyes
Without collapsing in scarlet-faced fits
Of mad hysterics; nothing could disguise
Our silliness. We were tickled to bits.
Sometimes we would walk out looking for boys;
On finding them, we sniggered even more,
Then her first romance ousted other toys,
And all the madcap days that went before.
These days I often think of my old friend,
But some bridges are difficult to mend.

To Alison, I hope we can meet up and chat about old times one day.