Prepositions of time

My parents met ___ the war: ___ August 1943 to be precise. My father was home ___ leave ___ the front, and he decided to spend the first week with his aunt ___ Liverpool.

He hadn't seen her ___ several years, even though she had brought him up ___ his mother's death. Liverpool is not the most beautiful city in the world, but it can be very pleasant ___ summertime, especially early ___ the morning.

___ this particular morning, however, my father was in no mood to enjoy the sunrise over the Mersey. His train left Euston Station ___ time, ___ midnight, but ___ the time it got to Crewe, it was already three and a half-hours ___ schedule.

So he was in a bad mood and very tired ___ arrival at Lime Street Station. But something happened ___ minutes of his arrival that changed not only his mood but also his whole life. Feeling thirsty ___ his long journey, he decided to go and have a cup of tea ___ the station buffet.

Typically, it was shut ___ that early hour. A notice on the door read "Opening hours: 7 a.m. ___ 5.30 p.m. He looked at the station clock: ten ___ seven. The buffet should be open___ now, he thought.

But, knowing station buffets, he realised that he could wait

___ 8 or even 9 o'clock before it opened. Suddenly he noticed a pretty girl sitting ___ a bench. She was pouring some hot liquid from a thermos flask ___ a cup.

Being something ___ a lady's man, my father (___ least this is what my mother told me some years later) sat down and said, "I've never seen such a pretty girl ___ all my life as you.

And I haven't had a hot drink ___ last night. If you give me a drink ___ your tea, I'll marry you and look after you ___ the rest of your life!"

Believe it or not, she smiled ___ him, gave him the tea, and well, I wouldn't be here right... now if the buffet hadn't been shut ___ that fateful day ___ August 1943.