A Mutual Friend (short story)

A Mutual Friend was the fourth story in the Bernice Summerfield anthology A Life of Surprises. It was written by Terrance Dicks.

Plot
Benny and Jason travel back to 21st century Earth with their Time Rings and, whilst Jason goes to buy some Britney Spears CDs per Braxiatel's request, the hungover Benny goes to Starbucks and sits with a woman.

Sensing a similarity between the two of them, Benny asks about the woman's career as a journalist and they discuss how they both used to travel with a friend. The woman explains that her friend had silver hair becoming becoming "all teeth and curls", which sounds nothing like Benny's friend. The woman has seen her friend only once since then. Whilst she gets Benny another espresso, Benny briefly considers whether or not they could both be talking about the same person, but dismisses the idea.

The woman leaves to investigate a modelling agency and, telling Benny that her name is Sarah, she asks her to give the Doctor her love if she sees him again. Benny is surprised and agrees to follow her advice and never accept if he invites to Metebelis III.

Characters

 * Bernice Summerfield
 * Sarah Jane Smith

Worldbuilding

 * Benny meets Sarah Jane at a Starbucks.
 * Sarah drinks lemon tea.
 * Benny drinks a double espresso.

Continuity

 * Sarah Jane mentions the Doctor leaving her (TV: The Hand of Fear) and seeing him again at a kind of family reunion. (TV: The Five Doctors)
 * Benny remembers gangsters in Chicago and vampires on an alien planet, (PROSE: Blood Harvest) an Ogron detective and a demonic crime lord, (PROSE: Mean Streets) giant ants, (PROSE: Set Piece) and squat dome-headed warriors fighting glowing jellyfish. (PROSE: Shakedown)
 * Sarah warns Benny not to go to Metebelis III if the Doctor ever offers. (TV: Planet of the Spiders)