I just knew that it was just going to be one of those days when the rope parted. All had gone too well up to that point. My two passengers seemed far to relaxed. Their request that we took off so late in the day should have caused me to ask more questions, but I needed the work.

Cash had been in short supply since the divorce. Maggie had well and truly fleeced me. What really hurt me was that my one and only fling with Jenny had been just a one night event between two lonely individuals. Whilst with Maggie, her flings lasted months, and she had had plenty of them. But I had loved her and so kept turning a blind eye to what she was getting up to.

Her solicitor had run rings round mine. So that the judge came down heavy on me. I had been surprised that Maggie had allowed me to keep the hot air balloon. Now I knew why: for as my balloon reached it cruising height, one of my passengers pulling a gun on me, whilst his colleague set fire to the balloons envelope. Then shouting, Maggie sends her love, they departed.