Thursday February 8, 1979

_. Phoned Jacq at 12 and met her an hour later for a few drinks. I told her I am on the verge of destitution and she grimaced in that annoying fashion and commented: "What's new?" She showed me John MacMurray's card bearing his phone number, and I told her that John had this very day been asking what her surname is. He made up some ridiculous tale that Jill Armstrong is heading out to interview a guy by the surname of 'Stayte' and was he, by any chance, a relation of Jacq? Why doesn't he just come out with it and ask for Jacq's name and phone number? It is quite obvious he fancies her. I had better not tell Sarah of these sordid developments.

At the office I saw Brian Walters who says the EP Father's Day trip is going to be extended this year. "Perhaps a day at the races?" Since when did gee gees run on a Sunday?

Tonight: Hilda and Tony came at 7:45 and Peter came at 8 and off we went to the Shoulder. Just us two. Chippy was working until 10. I get on with Peter better than I ever have & our friendship has strengthened with these regular Thursday escapades.

I went out tonight wearing a shirt I have made from an old white coat ~ the type which doctors and veterinary surgeons wear. It looks quite good but at Oakwood Hall someone remarked quite unkindly that I look like a chef.

Joined by Chippy at 10 and I took a nasty fall in the ice at Oakwood Hall and just about broke my back. Chippy, roaring with laughter at my plight, also went down with a bump and almost dislocated his elbow. We were grovelling around in the dark like premature lambs on roller skates.

At Oakwood I bumped into Jacqueline Dixon, who was a neighbour when we lived on Silverdale. She is still down there. I have known her since she was about seven. She is quite a little dish now. My chat-up line began: "Hullo, didn't I sell you a rabbit in 1969?" Home at 2:30am. No too pissed up, but semi-merry.

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