Inthe early 1960's afriendasked me to callin on her on my way back from shopping, which I did.

We sat inthe living room wherea coal fire burnt. Newly retired from her job as a music teacher, she always had something delicious in the oven and this particular day was no different. I thought she might have been baking, from the sweet smell coming from the kitchen.

We had a cup of teaand after a while there was a knock on the door. She said she was expecting 'DJ'. This was a reference to Dr DJ Williams, the founder of Plaid Cymru, wholivednearby in a pretty lime washed house in the High Street, Fishguard.He was coming to collect the rice pudding she had made for his wife Siani, who had a cold.

I got up to leave, but she insisted I wait and meet him. I had seen DJ in the town many times, alwaysimmaculate in a pale grey suit andhat,but this was the first time our paths hadcrossed.

We wereintroducedin English but I thoughttheleastI could do, when speaking to aleading Welsh language writer, was to use his native tongue and he followed my lead.

Iremember the conversation: I told him I had relatives in Rhydcymerau, where he was born. He was interestedin what I said and very easy to talk to. Inever met him again, though Fishguard is a small place, and he died in 1970.

Apart from short stories, DJWilliams wrote twoautobiographies: 'Hen dy Ffarm' ('The old Farmhouse') and 'Yn chwech ar hugain oed' (Twenty six years old').

Years later, reading 'Storm at Arberth',I discovered Sian James, the novelist,came to Fishguard as a child, to staywith Dr and Mrs Williams, her aunt and uncle.

DJ Williams was educated at Aberystwyth and Jesus College, Oxford. Much of his life was spent teaching English in the old Fishguard Grammar School.