Friday May 11, 1973

Got up at 6.20. The start of a really wonderful day. The sun was shining in a clear blue sky and the birds were singing merrily in the newly-full-leafed trees. Dress and run down the lane to catch the 7 o'clock 55 bus. Arrive at school at 7.25. Sit on the bus-park wall and wait for the economists and other hangers-on all going to Washington New Town, County Durham, today.

By 7.45 Louise, Christine, MM, and I are on the back seat of a rotten old coach. Dave arrived and joined us 5 minutes later. What a hysterical laugh it was on the journey there. After a few minutes on the road Christine decided she wanted a coffee and scalded everyone by pouring it out going down Pool Bank - where the road is very unmanageable. What a mess we were all in. We sang songs and played games - 'join the dots' etc. Our only stop was at a Forte's cafe where MM spotted a really pornographic magazine being displayed for all to see, next to a copy of Vogue, with Princess Anne on the cover. MM persuaded, or I should say 'dared' me, to buy the porn mag. I did, but he paid for it! What a laugh we had with it on the way home.

Washington was a really hateful place. The architect should really be strung up by his ankles. What a tip! And that's all I intend saying about the place. We set off back at about 3.30. Going home was even more fun than the journey going. In order to clean up the mess of any future 'coffee' incidents with Christine, MM and I stole a couple of toilet rolls from a public convenience and hid them behind the back seat - we certainly needed them!

Back in Rawdon by 5.30. Home at 6.20. Dave picked John and I up at 7.40. Spent an hour at the Emmotts where June, Sue B and MM arrived. June thought the porn mag was "terrible" - I have to agree with her to keep the peace. From the Emmotts we moved on to the Fleece at Horsforth. MM left us at 10 and we set off for the Elma at Shipley - where we were refused entry because it was a members only do.

We went on to the disco 'Caroline's' at Kirkstall. Before entry can be made you need a tie. John did not have one, so we used Dave's yellow handkerchief and a safety pin from Sue B's trousers, and pinned it to his shirt. June was hilarious. We got into the club at 11 o'clock. Remained until 2.05 am. The lights, music, drinks and atmosphere make it a wonderful place. Dave felt ill at midnight and he sat down in a dark corner. June and I danced some romantic steps and good old Dave managed to get John to dance with Sue. Dave brought the girls home at 2.15, nearly falling asleep at the wheel. John and I were home by 2.30. After he'd left I suddenly realised the porn mag was on the back seat of Dave's Dads car. The horror of it all! Mum was growing worried about the whereabouts of John and I. Straight to bed.

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Thursday May 10, 1973

No school today. A very windy day. Do a 'Bank of England' essay - but scrap it after a couple of minutes.

Go to vote in the afternoon. Vote for Philip Cartwright's Dad - a Tory - then for another Tory and a nice little Liberal. It is the first time ever that the electorate have had more than one vote on a polling day. A silly man on the tv says that those who perm their votes, which I did, are idiots. What the Dickens is wrong with feeling sorry for one pathetic little Liberal? Anyway, in a few years time it will be nice to see the ex-Lady Harewood in Number 10. I hope it won't be an embarrassment for the Queen having the ex-wife of her cousin as wife of the PM.

Spend the evening at home. Go to bed at about 11.30.

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Wednesday May 9, 1973

Blank

Tuesday May 8, 1973

Blank

Monday May 7, 1973

Blank

Sunday May 6, 1973

Get up at 11.15. Overcast, humid, and rainy day. Have a beef curry at 12.00. Auntie Hilda, Uncle Tony and the girls came home from the continent last night. They are coming over here this afternoon.

Walked to the CW at 12.45. A completely dead afternoon. Pauline came at 1.10. Sue went upstairs for a while whilst Pauline, Toffer and myself watched the tv, drank coffee, and ate ginger cake. No customers came in until 3.30. We bought Mars bars and put them in the refrigerator until they went hard. Very tasty. It began to get busy at tea time. Pauline left at 7.
Sue and I had a mixed grill, with a bottle of red wine, then apricots in brandy. We went upstairs to watch Alfred Hitchcock's 'The Birds'. Came home at about 12.

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Saturday May 5, 1973

John gets up at 6.00 and goes to Wembley with Geoff Saxton. Yes, the day has come. Leeds United are playing Sunderland in the FA Cup Final today. How can Leeds loose? Sunderland, a second division team, have only played at Wembley once before, way back in 1937. Watch the build up to the kick off from 10.30.

Mum and Dad go shopping a buy a few large cans of ale. Bill Stott rings up at 2.15 and asks if he can come round to see the final on our colour tv, which, incidentally, is one year old today. Mum is furious when Dad says yes to him. When he does come he turns up with his father-in-law - both nice blokes really. Kick off at 3. The Duke and Duchess of Kent in the royal box. At half-time Sunderland was winning 1-0. We all seemed to take it for granted that Leeds would snatch two goals in the second half. Full-time: Sunderland wins 1-0. We are all stunned. Poor John, going all that way to see his idols defeated! Geoff Saxton will no doubt commit suicide. Tragedy!

Go to the CW. Sue and Toffer didn't even watch the match. She said I was a baby for saying I "felt sick inside" when contemplating the defeat. Pauline came in at about 7.10. She says she was on Sunderland's side throughout. Later on in the evening she promised to 'rape' me when I had finished doing the washing up. Not a very hectic evening. Toffer brought me home, un-raped, at 1.15 after sitting with some beers for an hour. Working again tomorrow. Fool, Michael. You bloody fool!

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