After leaving my job, I was amazed to hear that one of my old colleagues, Alan, had been spotted with a new girlfriend. Alan had never shown any interest in romance, so this was big news. A mutual friend said the girl was very nice and chatty, but the more she spoke the more she reminded him of a horse – big teeth, long face, wide nostrils.
I decided to visit my old workplace for more details. The following day, I found myself sipping coffee with my ex-colleagues and my replacement. Alan was called away to take a phone call, so I seized the chance to ask about the new girlfriend.
“Yes, it’s true,” said one, so I launched into a full repeat of the horse description, grinning merrily.
A silence fell and faces became serious. Then my replacement looked into my eyes and said, “It’s me.”
I never went back – and I wasn’t invited to their wedding.
