Monday July 14, 1975

Why do the wrong women always fall for me? This so-called Carole says she's passionately in love with me and is prepared to undergo any hardship which might entail going out with me. My current infatuation is for Sarah and until my feelings change I cannot see me touching anyone else.

It was awful at work because Eileen got onto the subject of 'how horrible it would be to go out with someone who worked at the same place' &c, and my heart was pounding, and I kept trying not to look at Sarah, who was doing the same trying to keep her eyes from me. What would it be like though if I did take her out? The office would come to a standstill I do suppose, and they'd try to make it hell for us. Carol Johnson for one would never give her assent to our relationship because she is horribly envious of Sarah and thinks I am far too unworthy. Nothing short of the Aga Khan for Sarah would satisfy Carol J. However, I can forsee her coming down to earth with a bang shortly. Sarah is for me, and on the 26th I'm going to do my damned best to get her once and for all.

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Sunday July 13, 1975

7th after Trinity. It really is amazing how refreshing a night out at a discotheque can be. It is perfect exercise and I'm sure that one could go on the dance floor at midnight feeling stodgy and short of breath and leave at 2am feeling something like a cross between John Conteh and Erroll Flynn, i.e. perfectly healthy and full of vitality.

Dave L and Christine D were brilliant last night. You should have seen the wrestling match they had on Ilkley Moor! I'm saying no more on the subject.

See in the Sunday Express, that the Duke of Leinster, Britain's longest serving duke, is to make his debut in the House of Lords later this week at the age of 83. He inherited the peerage in 1922, but has been unable to sit in the Lords because he was an undischarged bankrupt until recently.

Don't go for a lunchtime booze with Chris due to lack of funds, and watch TV all day. Carole plagues me again, and I have to go round to 'George's' to shut her up. I can see that she isn't going to be easy to get rid of.

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Saturday July 12, 1975

Up very late and have lunch almost immediately. Dave B comes round in the car and he persuades me to go along with him and Lynn to Bradford on a boozing/shopping spree. (Well, he didn't persuade me at all really. Actually, I invited myself along, but I always think a diarist should be allowed to use a bit of poetic licence.) John and Maria came along too, and the five of us had to squeeze into Dave's little car.

The girls went off shopping for an hour and we three went to the Queen's. Played a few records on the juke box and consumed a few pints, and met the ladies at 3pm outside Chelsea Girl, which was quite a nice arrangement.

At 4.30 we went back to George's. Sorry I keep calling her Maria. I sometimes forget. Meet a friend of hers called Caroline who prefers to be known as Carole. Good looking, but not quite right in the head - rather like ____in character. At 7pm she, that is Carole, rings me and more or less asks me out. I say she can join us at the Hare & Hounds for a few drinks, but make no other suggestion at all.

Lynn and Dave continue to kid everyone one about being engaged, and she's wearing a ring costing 8p! Poor Chris was so stunned he had to sit down!

Dave L took us to the Cow & Calf pub and at 10.30 tghe inevitable happened and we went downstairs to the disco. We all had a great time, and Christine D, Carole, Dave came back to Pine Tops for coffee. It was foggy and raining over the moor tonight.

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Friday July 11, 1975

Worked 5pm-11pm tonight. Went straight down to Wikis afterwards. It looks horrid when one's sober, and only Lynn and Dave were in. They were pretending to be engaged, and everyone at the Hare seems to have taken it in. Home at 2am feeling a bit merry.

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Thursday July 10, 1975

Another sunless day. Hot and damp and completely overpowering. Oh, I didn't mention that on Monday David L arrived home and he will be knocking about with us until the new term starts in September. He rang me on Monday night for a chat. The poor chap will be horribly bored, and he's only getting £5 social security.

Work was OK today. At lunchtime I got yet another £2.99 T-shirt. It makes three in three weeks. Some cheese and onion sandwiches didn't go down too well, and I sat for an hour with a cup of tea to recouperate.

Saw in the YP that typhoid, cholera, rabies, diphtheria, influenza, and many more succulent diseases are currently running havoc in Majorca. No doubt the travel agent will contact us for instructions about innoculations and things. Is it worth going on holiday for two weeks to come home only to drop dead?

Christine rang me this morning. She got on about the party I'm having on July 26. I knew from the way the chat went that she wanted to bring someone. I said 'bring just who you like', and she replied: 'will you mind?' I retorted: 'No'. She blurted out: 'Well, you should do!' I knew she was thinking of bringing Roger - who knocks about in the Hare - but neither of us mentioned names. We didn't have to. She is a little beggar, isn't she?

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Wednesday July 9, 1975

A damp, dark and humid day. Horribly hot and unpleasant. Remember, with horror, that I am working nights on Friday, which means no boozing session with Sarah. Please, for God's Sake, please do not think my life revolves around the consumption of alcohol. It doesn't. I could go to the Hare & Hounds and just drink water and be just as happy, because the society and the friends are all that matter really. No doubt ______ would think differently. No one likes a drink better than me, but it isn't number one on my list of priorities.

Gillian rang me at 7.30 just as it was beginning to rain, and I took it upon myself to scrounge a lift. Her Mum brought us to the Hare & Hounds, and we went our separate ways once we were in. John walked down with 'George' and Christine came on the bus. Peter was in too.

CB and me get on like a house on fire and I will always be fond of her, but I think I've made a bit of a fool of myself over her. Leave the Hare at 9.30 and have one in the Commercial. It's far too hot and we leave at 10.20. Peter M drives me home.

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Tuesday July 8, 1975

Kathleen came back to work today. She looked years younger with her new haircut and bronzed body. I only hope her holiday has cheered her up a bit. Sarah goes off on a half-day and so we can't indulge in our usual ale swilling practice.

I go off on a birthday card buying expedition at lunchtime. Denise will be 19 on July 10, and although she has been living in sin with the dirty old branch manager from WH Smith Ltd, Bradford, I do not see that as a reason for ignoring the occasion.
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On the subject of birthdays, June is 19 years old today. Somehow I think she should be older really. Still a teenager, and we haven't been going out for two years! A horrible brat she is.

'George' invited us round to her place at 8 for a few drinks, and John, Lynn, Dave, Sue, Peter and me all indulged. Stayed until after 11, and the little dog made my eyes run, and nose water. Or was it the other way round? George's Mum tried to keep us, but we shook her off, nicely. Home and in bed before 12 after beans on toast..

It's odd how I do not love Christine any more. It just goes to show how immature I am if I can discard someone and cool off completely after only a matter of weeks.

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