I’ve rented a car for this weekend and I’m going to drive Tom from London to Newcastle. He’s been living with us since he returned from working in Russia last December and has now decided to base himself nearer his family oop north.



Tom and I go way back. We met in the only gay club in Newcastle in 1986. We went around the world together then moved to London and then got jobs. Tom went back to University and I bought houses and we stayed together as partners for 10 years. Then Tom went off to Russia and that was that. We stayed best friends throughout the following years and it was obvious that he should live with Darren and I when he arrived back in the UK last year (it’s a testament to Darren’s wonderfulness that he had no problem with this).



Tom has gathered a trunk full of stories in his 45 years (stints in the Army, the Police, near drowning on Bondi Beach, drugged and poisoned in Russia (several times) and, the crème de la crème of dinner party stories, getting arrested and locked in a Moscow mental hospital last year.
I’m sure he’ll continue to collect great yarns in the next chapter of his life and we wish him all the best in whatever he chooses to do. Take care kiddo.