Susan Simpson.

Susan Simpson was the twinkle in Eric’s eyes from the moment he met her.

Hanging around Murray’s chip shop, they often exchanged words as she returned home with her parents, avid fans of the movies. She was posh, almost untouchable for someone of Eric’s class, with no sign of the familiar clipped Manchester accent; her father was one of the bosses, who ran his own business and spoke like a BBC announcer. Her mother was aloof and disapproving of her daughter’s interest in layabouts like Eric and Cudge. However, she enjoyed brief encounters with them and almost basked in the presence of Eric’s adoration as her parents lined up to buy supper alongside other film fans returning home.