This could be a funny story - maybe for those with a very bleak sense of humour... or maybe it is a good example of Irony.

I met W in a pub, The Prince of Wales, Aberdeen, April 1992. I was visiting a friend, he was visiting a different friend, we had a couple of drinks..

Back in London we went to any real ale pub, but especially The Turks Head and Swan in Twickenham, the Flag and Lamb in Covent Garden, the Dove and the Spanish club in Soho, the Half Moon in Putney and the red brick place down by the canal at Seven Sisters which did good Bloody Marys for hang overs.

We moved to Edinburgh, which is also good for real ale pubs - Clark's Bar, the Star and Smithy's in Canonmills, the Abbotsford and Bow Bar in the centre of town, the Sheep's Heid Inn and the Pear Tree out in the sticks; and not forgetting our "Family" pub when then cherub came along, the Starbank Tavern down at Trinity.

In between pubs we went to real ale festivals at Earl's Court, Meadowbank and the Caley Ale House.

We visited Bruges especially for the beer....

So when W came to stay on Friday night the first thing I offered him was a drink.

"Ah a cup of tea would be grand".
A cup of tea?? It being Friday and all?
W - with a big grin and putting on his best West of Scotland accent, "Aye, a weee cup uv teea!"

Might have lost something in the telling and all. Maybe you had to have been there.