All it needed to be perfect was Florida and JJ.

So you know how sometimes you just have one of those nights where everything is great and you end the evening on a total high that is still with you the next day? And when you talk about it your voice just keeps getting higher and higher??

[I'm not talking about cake with The Antiquer.]

Well, last night was one of those nights. Hong Kong Fooey met me at The Antiquer's and we went off to meet this girl I'm mentoring and her family. What a great kid! What a great family! We had a fabulous evening all getting to know each other and I feel so thrilled that I get to help this incredible young girl follow her enthusiasms and passions in literature and writing.

Uh-mazing. I might have to listen to some Willie Nelson later, just to capitalise on my mood.

Mind you, Hong Kong Fooey tried to shake my confidence when we got there. He hadn't noticed at The Antiquer's that although I was in my work gear, I was bare footed. He only registered the fact when we were ringing the doorbell.

"You're not wearing any shoes!"

"No. Should I be?"

"No, haze, no. It's all good."

Then, as a shadow appeared behind the font door pane, "You know, you should have worn shoes."

At the end of the evening there was laughter and hugs all round as we took our leave - it was like the ending to some touching movie about the importance of family and friends, which, if I think about it too much, kind of takes the shine off. We got into the car, Hong Kong Fooey chuckling genially over some joke that had just been cracked. As our doors closed, his laughter faded, he adopted a stern expression and said, "That would have all gone a lot better if you'd worn shoes."