All the Way Home and All the Night Through by Ted Lewis

of her jeans. She shook herself free of Gwen. She began to make for the piano, staggering and sobbing. Jerry Coward, the chucker-out at the Steam Packet, slid down from his perch on the stage. Hilary fell on Harry. Harry had only been half on his seat and he over-balanced, finishing up on the floor.
    â€œThe trombonist will play the next number lying flat on his back on the floor.” announced Don. Hilary had gone down, too. Jerry had got to her and he and Gwen picked her up.
    â€œVictor.”
    She tried to break away again. A large semi-circle of watchers had formed. Jerry tried to talk to her, and so did Gwen. She wouldn’t listen. She screamed again. Gwen tried to smack her face but missed. Don stomped in the number. The band struck up. Jerry slid his arm behind Hilary’s knees and carried her out. She was still screaming. I turned round and joined the band in playing the number. I looked at Karen. She didn’t know whether to smile or whether she should look guilty. She certainly looked embarrassed. I shrugged at her and put on a long-suffering face. She gave me a stupid smile which meant nothing.
    â€œDo you think Hilary wanted something,Vic?” shouted Hamish, the bass player.
    It gave me an excuse to release my tension in laughter. Poor bloody Hilary. People looked at me as they danced past. It couldn’t be helped. Anyway, I thought, it should be fuel to the fire.
    During the interval, I took Karen over to where some girl students were dispensing orange juice. I seated myself on the trestle table. Karen remained standing, taking intermittent sips from her orange juice.
    â€œWhat a way to carry on,” said Karen.
    Over her shoulder I could see Janet. I shrugged at Karen.
    Janet was standing with a mature young man of infinite smoothness.
    â€œI mean in public and that,” said Karen.
    The young man was superbly nonchalant in his conversation with Janet.
    â€œShe’ll be all right,” I said.
    He must have come along with Janet and her friend. He looked the type.
    â€œDidn’t you feel embarrassed by it?” asked Karen.
    Janet caught me looking at her again. She didn’t look away for almost three seconds.
    â€œNaw, course not. I’m used to it.”
    I pealed with coarse laughter. Karen saw that I was joking and giggled along with me. Only just in time though. Gwen presented herself in front of us.
    â€œWell, I hope you’re satisfied,” she said.
    I looked at Karen. She didn’t look anywhere.
    â€œWhy?” I asked.
    â€œYou ought to be disgusted with yourself. It was all your fault. She’s out there crying now.”
    â€œWhat could I do? Christ, I didn’t do anything. She was drunk.”
    â€œAren’t you coming to say something to her?”
    â€œGwen, I’m with Karen. When you’ve got that and the fact that Hilary and me are finished through your head, I hope you’ll leave us alone. You know, just for a few minutes.”
    She left us. Karen said:
    â€œPerhaps you should go and see her. Just for a minute.”
    I gave her a long look. She didn’t say anything else. I went down to the gents just before we continued playing. There were the usual young drunks decorating the floor or heaving over the basins. I bumped into Matthew’s Sam as I was leaving.
    â€œGood games with Hilary then, Vic?”
    â€œI wouldn’t have come if I’d known she was going to be that way.”
    â€œLiar.”
    We laughed.
    â€œI often wondered when I’d have my first girl hysterical over me.”
    â€œConceited bastard.”
    â€œThat’s me.”
    At the end of the dance. Everyone putting coats on, some arranging how to get to the parties, some desperately chatting up the pathetic left-overs. I was waiting for Karen to come down from the ladies. Hilary was standing some feet away with Gwen and fellow commiserators. She looked in my direction and said something to Gwen. Gwen’s face