Tuesday April 9, 1974

Wake up at nearly 12 o'clock. I know it's a ruddy disgrace, but who cares anyway? Still very upset about June, who may be stark raving mad but doesn't usually back down from arrangements. Anyway, I dropped a letter in the post, and I'll expect a reply when I see one. No doubt about it, I must be completely off my rocker, because no other male in existence would chase a female around for 8 months with nothing to show for it!

A beautiful afternoon and I collapse on the back lawn with a deck chair, dark glasses and Elizabeth of Glamis, not forgetting the radio. Believe it or not, but I have never appreciated the fact that both the Queen and Princess Margaret were born by caesarian section.

Driving lesson 6.30 to 7.30. A hopeless lesson really. Quite scrappy from my point of view - but he didn't despair really. Read all evening. Such a lazy existence isn't it?

Hear that Sue and Toffer are selling the CW for £15,000 and buying a public house in Wales for £37,000, near the coast. Sue wanted to take a pub last year but changed her mind. I don't think they are movingt till August, because Lynn says the couple who are taking on the CW will not be married until July. Life will not be the same without dear Sue Riley.

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Monday April 8, 1974

Up at 9 with Mama. Dad does some washing for her and busies himself in that irritable way which never ceases to niggle me. The poor man can never just sit down and put his feet up. He is always messing about in the name of so-called 'useful activity'. However, Dad also hates the way I lounge around all day. "Why don't you find something to do?" is a favourite phrase of his.

At about 10.30 I go see Mrs Perfect, whom I have neglected since February '73. Howwever, she still is the same old gossip. A kindly old soul really, but I do suppose I could walk into her abode and say I'd changed sex and joined a circus as a high wire entertainer and she'd still say: "I always knew you'd fit into that sort of life perfectly, Michael. It is important to create an interesting existence early in life, isn't it?" Really I do suppose that she's a typical snob, but I don't mind snobby people at all. I'm certainly not perfect. Well, not quite perfect yet, so I cannot pass judgement on others.

Go to Guiseley Library. Get a book "Elizabeth of Glamis" by David Duff - a pictorial biography of the Queen Mother. Sit about all evening reading it.

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Sunday April 7, 1974

Palm Sunday. Out of bed at 1.30!! Well, hardly any point about feeling guilty about it. After all, I am on holiday. Cook some marvellous steak for lunch, then sit in front of the tv watching a James Cagney film all afternoon. Looking forward with rellish to my liaison with June this evening - our first date since August.

Leave Pine Tops at 7.20 but don't arrive at the Emmotts until 8.20 - quite forgetting that the 55 bus only runs once every hour on the Sabbath. See Chris, who is in conference with Ivy - but no June. Chris and I stand at the bar until 9, then he suggests that we move on. Strangely enough, I feel nothing about being jilted for the first time. I have always imagined that being 'stood up' was an extremely painful experience. We get the bus to the Hare and Hounds where Andy, Linda, Christine and Keith entertain Laura and Martin. They say very little, and it certainly lets you know just who your friends are. Everyone wants to know you when you're having a party, but after that you're nothing.

Christine suggests we go to the Malt Shovel - I go with Keith, who, I must admit, is always civil. Andy brings me home at 10.30, and I see Mama and Dad, Lynn and Sue for the first time since Friday. They all had an excellent time, though no one saw the Queen or anyone whilst in Windsor. Quite disappointing.


"Seasons in the Sun" Ugh

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Saturday April 6, 1974

Wake up at 10.30 to find John missing, Helen in Mama's bed, and Chris in Lynn's small hutch. Helen may be a nice travelling companion, but she makes a terrible breakfast friend - she doesn't realise it but she's extremely rude, and a terrible bore.

Very mad that the Gadsby bunch didn't send me a birthday card or any recognition of the fact that I have celebrated an anniversary of my birth. After all, it was dear Auntie Hilda who ran for several miles on the night of April 5, 1955 to inform Uncle Albert, Grandad and Granny that I had arrived upon this earth. Can you imagine Auntie Hilda running like hell down Stanningley Bottom? I bloody well can't.

At 8 o'clock I go see June at her sister's in Guiseley. We sit until 1.0am watchingt tv and making eyes at each other from opposite sides of the room. Honestly, she knows I'm captivated by her but it makes no difference whatsoever. See the Eurovision Song Contest. Ugh! Then a documenary on 'Count Dracula' - by now we're both hand in hand on the sofa, more of a measure against fear and anything to do with romance. Ring John at 1.15 who is entertaining Chris, Linda, Christina W and Peter in front of the tv. Hurry home. Everyone looks miserable as purity.

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Friday April 5, 1974

My 19th birthday. Up at 7 and Lynn and Sue present me with a polo-necked jumper (a nice cream colour), and Mama gives me £3. When I leave for the YP it's the last time I will see the family until Sunday night. Mum waves me off at the door with a: "take care of yourself", etc. A rather beautiful morning, though birthdays are always disappopinting somehow, and never fail to let me down with a feeling of 'nothingness' if that makes any sense at all. Rush home from the YP and June rings me. The silly female absolutely refuses to come to my party tonight, and no pleading on my part can possibly make her change her mind. I don't particularly feel upset by her refusal, and it is all I expected. Lorraine, her chaperone, rings me twice and says that June must be insane, and that she's been undecided all day about whether to come or not, June I mean. MM, Marita, Denny and David arrive at about 8.30 and they drag me off to the Fox and Hounds, Menston. By about 10.30 I'm totally gone - intoxicated I mean, and we're all back at Pine Tops living it up. I ecventually have ________with Denny and Christine White. Well, it is my birthday! Little Helen Willis arrives at about midnight, and by 2am Chris, Helen and me are the only people left - MM and crowd disappeared early on - after devouring an Easter egg which George's girlfriend had bought John. Pigs they are! -==-

Thursday April 4, 1974

Uncle Peter born 1929. A glorious day. June finally rang me at about 7 o'clock and it's like a dream come true. Evidently, tomorrow will be a romantic night for me after all, and she's actually coming to Pine Tops. However, I very much doubt whether she'll remain until the birthday celebrations are finished..._____.

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Wednesday April 3, 1974

Overcast, but warm day. Nothing of any interest happens at the YP, though Anne seems to have given everyone a cold. Carol went round sneezing all afternoon.

Still no word from June, and I'm now feeling quite desperate. My apetite is nearly non-existant, and for four days I've had a terrible sinking feeling in my stomach. At about 5.20 I passed the Bottomley residence on the 33 bus, and saw a pair of June's jeans fluttering in the breeze on Mrs B's little washing line. So, although I've had no word from the darling creature herself, the trousers proved to me, and indeed to everyone who cares to look, that June does actually exist. This is a relief anyway, because for a day or two I have felt that the whole of Saturday evening was a mirage or dream, conjured up by my poor demented brain.

The bus journey made a nice change from the train, which is all very nice, but Judith tends to become slightly overbearing at times.

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