I was three weeks older than Janet Jones

She was the girl next door

Literally the girl next door

I lived at sixteen and Janet at eighteen

Ash Burton Avenue

We were great friends

But that is where the attraction ended

Nothing was romantic

We were like brother and sister

And loved each other dearly

People remarked how open we were

As we took foreign holidays together

And often shared rooms

Janet was very very attractive

And was never short of unwanted admirers

I was very protective but she kept me calm

Sadly I knew that she would meet somebody special

And that a new chapter of her life away from mine

Would start to take shape and blossom

But when it happened I found myself surprised

As never for a moment did I expect Rachel

Our circle had been broken but in the nicest possible way