George first began to notice women when he was thirty-six. This was surprising, considering that George had got married at the age of twenty-nine and had three children. But then you see, getting married to one particular woman is not the same as noticing women in general.

In fact, George’s marriage had been almost an accident. He had been at a party and found himself alone with a girl on a balcony. Quite suddenly and to his own amazement he had kissed her. If was the first time he’d kissed a girl and he hit her teeth rather hard with his nose. Still it was a beginning and she said “oh..oh” and he had kissed her again rather more accurately and she responded and he heard himself saying “Darling, what about us?” and she said “Take me away from all this” and he said “oh…right” and that was that.

Meeting with parents, tears, sudden telephone calls, presents, shopping expedition, bells, photographs, lust and nappies had all followed with a strange inevitability. His marriage settled down like many similar marriages. He was happy with his wife, he cared for his children in a slightly distant way, and he was reasonably content with his home and job.