nothing new

I find myself compelled to cancel my meetings tomorrow, and take the train to Birmingham.
I'm sure I'll meet up with AJ, we'll sit in his sweet shop, talk for a couple of hours, I'll try to get back to Manchester for 5.
He's one of my oldest friends and alcoholic. Nothing new there. We've talked for hours about how booze will kill him if he doesn't stop. Nothing new there either.

Last week he was in Manchester, we met up as usual, caught up on news, hugged our goodbyes.

But.

Something bugged me for days after that. I think now, that perhaps in that goodbye there seemed to be 'less' of him than previously.

I don't know. But I'll be on the train.