‘Friends for the rest of life,’ said Mitch, then her eyes twinkled and I caught a glimpse of the teenage girl I’d loved so much. ‘Stand on one leg.’
Ally, Jo and I immediately recognized the command from our spot at the bus stop forty years ago and did as we were told.
‘Deal,’ said Mitch.
‘Deal,’ we echoed as I wobbled on one leg.
‘Amen,’ said Mitch.
‘Amen,’ we chorused, and I knew we were going to be OK. The Fab Four were back together again.
Epilogue
So, what happened next?
Well, the Long Lost Friends series was a resounding success, with over ten million viewers each programme and a second series already underway. Mitch and Lisa agreed to take part in the last programme, but only in the background talking about the importance of friends. Ally, Jo, and Sara featured too, talking about the importance of doing things together and making plans for future adventures, travel and time together.
Rhys Logan, Sara’s arch rival, was last seen in a Big Brother-type house. He was first to be voted off.
Lisa is a regular visitor at Rainbow’s End in South Africa, and Mitch has been over to the UK on a number of occasions to meet Lisa’s family. Mitch stays with Sara, and Jo and Ally join them for sleepovers. Jo and Mitch have had many long talks about seeing the light. It hasn’t stopped them enjoying a good glass of Chablis at the same time.
Ally and Lawrence bought a house in Devon, near Ally’s old one so that she could stay in touch with her friends in the area. Ally and Lawrence divided the new house into two parts, one side for him, one side for her. They were last seen heading off on a trip to Indonesia.
Jo married Gary from Little Dog Productions. He treats her like a goddess. They have moved into a house in the same village as Ally and Lawrence, with a field at the back to accommodate their many animals. Jo’s children regularly come to visit, but Gary and Jo have stipulated that they only stay three days at a time, quoting the ‘guests are like fish, they go off after three days’ line to support their rule.
Sara Meyers became established as the face of the over-fifties on TV, which sorted her finances out. With the help of friends, she completed her book on the rules of friendship, with case histories from people involved in the show, illustrations by Jo, and for which Ally found a publisher. It was a great team effort and was on the non-fiction bestseller list for eight weeks, until knocked off by Katie Brookfield’s The Real Bonnets of Bath.
The press are still unaware that Sara is actually mid-sixties. She never went back to full-time employment, preferring to work two or three days a week so she can spend the rest of the time reconnecting with old pals. She went from being a crap friend to an ace friend and has never been happier. She purchased a two-bedroomed cottage in the same village as Ally and Lawrence, which she rents out occasionally. At other times she uses it as a second home, with a view to moving there later in life. She has recently been seen out with one of the founders of Harvest food, Tom Riley. She insists that they are just good friends.
The Rules of Friendship
by Sara Meyers and assorted chums
Sara
• Keep your promises to friends.
• Friendship is a two-way street. Both make an effort. You get in touch, they get in touch.
• Friends who want to stay in touch, do. Those you never hear from, unless you call or text, don’t feel the same way about you, so let them go.
• Listen as well as talk, especially if your friend is going through a rough patch. Snoring is optional but not advised, nor is checking your mobile whilst they’re baring their soul.
• Friends share the organization of outings, meals out, walks, holidays or theatre visits. Don’t leave it to the same person each time.
• True friends don’t assume they know what is happening in a friend’s life, they find out the reality. It often isn’t what was imagined or presumed.
• Don’t neglect a friend when a new relationship, project or a demanding job comes along. If you’re having a mad busy time, say so – even a text like: ‘will be in touch when I resurface’ will help maintain the bond.
• Friends embrace opportunities to let their inner child out, laugh their heads off and act like idiots. There are far too many times in life when you have to be serious and responsible.
• It’s never too late to connect up with good friends you’ve lost touch with. Don’t let guilt or embarrassment about not having been in contact get in the way.
• Be generous and show your appreciation to your friends. They’re worth it.
• Friends support each other and feel safe to tell each other anything without being judged.
• Take the time to work through misunderstandings or miscommunications with people you value.
Nicholas (Sara’s agent)
• If you want a friend, be a friend.
• Don’t waste your time with fake friends who have an agenda for spending time with you. I get a lot of this being an agent: people who appear to want to be my best pal but all they really want is for me to get them a deal. Harrumph and bugger off, I say. I choose my friends wisely.
• Be aware of friends’ or in fact anyone’s finances when dining out and splitting the bill: not everyone can afford bottles of Bolly. Always reimburse swiftly if a pal has booked theatre tickets, etc., so that they’re not out of pocket. It’s only polite.
• True friends are genuinely glad about your successes and don’t measure them against their own and feel envious. Jealousy can kill friendships.
• Be prepared to do the ‘organ recital’ and talk about medical ailments with older friends. Limit
