Sunday April 14, 1974

Easter Day. Rose at 11 o'clock. See a religious epic film on the BBC. They always give the public some fanatical religious film on Easter Sunday.

Turkey lunch is very successful. Mum reveals some startling things afterwards. Whilst reading Elizabeth of Glamis she notes that George VI had the same operation on his leg in 1949 as Uncle Bert had at Christmas time. If George VI and Uncle Bert have anything in common, poor uncle will be dead within 3 years.

John rings Chris after 6.30 and agrees to meet at the Hare and Hounds. I don't like the idea and want to go to the Emmotts, because June nearly always goes on Sundays. John says I must be insane, and I realise I must try and stop this crazy infatuation. However, it is so frustrating to know that she will be sitting in one place whilst I am sitting, equally miserable, in another.

Susan told an amusing story of little Margaret Saxton when the little girl walked in the room on Friday (Good Friday) and sat next to Sue looking terribly miserable. "What's wrong?" asked Sue. "I'm very upset", she replied. "They crucified Jesus today." Very sweet.

Meet Chris and the Hare and Hounds at 8.30. A very pleasant evening indeed despite the small numbers. Chris, John and I make such a happy team.


"Seasons in the Sun" Terry Jacks.

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Saturday April 13, 1974

Terrible day. Cold, draughty weather. Rise at 11. Mum is going berserk with anger. Evidently, in my haste to devour a sizeable supper last night, I, inadvertantly of course, turned off the cooker timer which made a bugger of the fat turkey sitting within. At 10.30 Mother discovered the bird uncooked, and of course I was blamed. I left the house quickly, in order to escape the wrath of Mama, going to Guiseley library again, and collecting several loaves from the bakery. After lunch Chris rings and we meet in Otley at 3.15. Chris is half an hour late. An incredibly cold afternoon. Lynn and I complain constantly about the weather, and Chris drags us into a tatty riverside cafe where he devours several horrid egg sandwiches. Lynn says the coffee tastes like washing up water, and after several sips I quickly agree with her. The three of us sauntered near the river before returning to the bus station. Bid farewell to Chris. We agree to meet at the Emmotts at 8. John and I caught the bus to the Emmotts. Chris was already propping up the bar, and Pete joined us after half an hour. The four of us were herded near the door and thousands of people kept cramming in. Andy and Dave Baker (Bruno) came half an hour after Pete. We then went to the Westbourne at Otley, which Chris hated, but everyone else had a tremendous time. Pete was in his usual sarcastic mood, and inevitably, Chris suffered. A bar extension until 11.30 enabled us to get rather drunk. Bruno was nearly copped by the police near Harry Ramsden's, but he took s side-street thereby shaking them off. Home after an exciting evening. -==-

Friday April 12, 1974

Good Friday. Dad wakes me at 10am. Lynn is watching the television, Sue is at work, and so are Mama and John of course. Terrible weather. Chris and I intend going out after lunch, but I expect he won't want to wonder out in the deluge which lashes down upon the whole area. Yorkshire is prone to this obscene weather. Mother and Father bought lunch - fish and chips - at 12.30, and Mama surprised us with a pair of spectacles which she needs for reading - and they look quite nice on her. Mr Ussher, the chemist, thinks they make her look extremely intellectual.

Lazy afternoon. Go to the E. at 8. Andy, Linda, Christine and Bruno (whom I haven't seen since that fantastic day at the Motor Show). Before long, MM, Marita and Denny (looking considerably thinner), and David all drop in to see us. David was in very high spirits and he think he tries to ignore ____when he can. Life for poor David must be ghastly. I do not rellish the idea of dragging ____around whenever I go out. Denny, Marita, Christine Jennings and MM are going to the Continent in July. The 'Jet Set' move on after half an hour, and we then go to the Malt Shovel in Menston where we encounter the parents of Linda and Christine W. One of Christine's aunts was drunk. At 10.30 we all go back to Andy's. Mr Graham is a character! Bruno brings John and I home at 2. Supper and bed at 3.

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Thursday April 11, 1974

Up at 9 o'clock. Decide to go with Lynn to the cinema this afternoon. The weather is deteriorating slowly, and by Saturday will shall be six feet under the snow no doubt. British weather never fails to let us down at Bank Holiday time. At 10 I go into Guiseley to get a birthday card for Judith, who is 19 tomorrow - find an amusing one. I make a call at the library and glance at the first volume of the diaries of Bruce-Lockhart, who died in 1970. They seem quite interesting, but I've read Nicolson's diaries for the same period, dealing with the Duke of Windsor, Mrs Simpson, Sybil Colefax and all that lot. Glance at the Times whilst in the library and see that the Earl of Snowdon made his maiden speech in the House of Lords yesterday. He spoke on disabled services or something equally mundane. He didn't make the same mistake as Lord Harewood, who made a very controversial maiden speech on hanging or something. Princess Margaret came to Harrogate today, arriving at Yeadon of course. Unfortuntately, Lynn didn't want to accompany me to Yeadon so I decided not to bother going on my own. Anyway, I only saw Princess Margaret the other month, and she won't have changed very much I do suppose. At 2.15 Lynn and I go with Mama and Papa to Yeadon. They go to Morrison's whilst Lynn and I go to the cinema. See 2 horror films which last until 6.30. Lynn is rather terrified, but I am unmoved. The trouble is that my imagination doesn't begin to work until hours after the film is finished. Horror films are often more gripping in the dead of night. -==-

Wednesday April 10, 1974

Completely lazy day. Finish 'Elizabeth of Glamis' by Duff. The Queen Mother is really a fantastic person and I am sure that it is she who saved the nation from Republicanism in 1936 when Edward VIII packed up. George VI would never have lasted on his own. Indeed, many authorities (not just Duff) say Elizabeth saved George VI from utter and complete madness because when they married in 1923, the then Duke of York was on his way to retiring completely within himself.

In my opinion, the Duke of Edinburgh also receives far too much credit for pulling the Royal Family out of the 19th century. Little Queen Elizabeth was doing a brilliant job before Prince Philip ever got his hands on Lilibet.

Sit about at home all day. Go to the Emmotts at 8.20 after having had a pint in the (Yorkshire) Rose. Keith and Christine White leave almost immediately - and Chris, Laura, Elaine, John and I remain. Terribly boring evening. At 10.15 we go to the fish and chip shop across the road. Everyone in complete misery - Chris feels left out by Andy, who is entranced by Linda. It looks as though we are going to have an unpleasant Easter - no doubt I'll die of sheer boredom. No word from June - hardly surprising really.

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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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