Friday April 16, 1976

Good Friday. Nice, warm, sunny day. Rise at 9 o'clock and have a leisurely breakfast with the radio belting out its joyous tunes.

Read 'Queen Anne' by David Green until after 11. She must have been a bit of a lesbian because her 'carrying on' with the Duchess of Marlborough and Lady Masham were far from stable relationships.

Carole comes at 12.30 and I begin making the lunch. Fry chips and attempt to fry some 'fish balls'. Do fish have balls? Mum comes in at 1.15 and we eat. Not a pleasant lunch and I'm relieved when Dave B comes and offers to take us out for something to wash the meal down with.

Go to the Commercial. Just Lynn, Dave, Carole and I. Have a few pints of Stella outside in the sun and feel sick. Dave then drives us to Grange's and I book the Blackpool trip for Sunday.

Back to Pine Tops where 'The King and I' is on TV. I can't tolerate clapped out musicals and so Carole and I walk into Guiseley and call in at a sweet shop for a few bars of chocolate.

Get the 4.30 bus to Leed and have a quiet night at the office. Leave on the 11 o'clock 35 bus after a dead night. Home for midnight. Working nights next on April 25 - Low Sunday, aptly enough.

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Wednesday April 14, 1976

Go down to the Hare & Hounds on the 8.10 bus and meet Carole outside. John comes in with Jimmy Macdonald and we boys have a laugh together. Carole mopes because she thinks I am ignoring her and says I should perhaps have left her at home and had a night out with the lads. I am sure she thinks I contrived to meet John and Jimmy, but it was purely coincidental, and after all, why can't I have a chat with my prodigal brother? I'm not tied to Miss Phillips's apron strings.

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Thursday April 15, 1976

Sorry about this pals, but when you try writing a diary a week after the actual event it does tend to become a little confusing and I'm afraid that this week Thursday comes after Tuesday and before Wednesday. Confusing I know, but it makes a change.

Do nothing all night. See 'Top of the Pops' with Mum. The only interesting item of the day. Carole didn't ring and all in all it's been most ordinary and mundane.

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Tuesday April 13, 1976

Meet Carole at 6.30 in Guiseley and go to the library where I collect 3 books: 'Queen Anne' by David Green; 'The First Moutnbatten's', and the first of the Palliser novels by Trollope. Walk her to White Cross and then get the bus home. I am bored with her and cannot see the relationship lasting the month out. Being bogged down with the same girl - no matter how nice - is not a situation I rellish, and I need to get out of it soon.

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Monday April 12, 1976

Up at 7.15 and battle through a large breakfast with Lynn. Unusual for me to eat on a morning but if I'm up early I can always manage to put away a few loaves of bread and nine and a half tons of marmalade.

The second Monday in succession without a lift from Jim. Meet Gillian Upton at the 55 bus stop and travel with her. She tells me she climbed Peny-Ghent (if that's how you spell it) - yesterday. How she's changed since breaking with Naomi. __________.

Carole rings me at 1.30 to say she's made it up with the Old Hag. I never will though. Carole is Mrs P's daughter, and all that, but why should I make polite chit chat with someone with whom I have nothing in common? Get lost, Mrs Phillips. That's what I say.

Leap in the bath and watch a revolting Raquel Welch film before retiring to bed at 11.20. Carole's visiting her old pal Deborah tonight. Let's hope this cooling off business catches on. No wedding bells for Michael L. Rhodes.

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Sunday April 11, 1976

Palm Sunday. Carole's Mum rang at 12.30 and spent half an hour or so pulling our family to pieces and putting her evil spoke in in general. I was listening on the extension and was amused to hear that someone has told Mrs P that I'm 'taking Carole for a ride' and that I'll drop her at the slightest excuse. She's a miserable, lying old bag and isn't fit to inhabit the earth. If I was any sort of man I'd go down to her so-called house and stick the boot in.

Later: Carole, Mum, Dad and I go down to the Commercial. A few drinks and a beef sandwich. Carole has one of her 'Sunday faces' and although I have great sympathy for her predicament I do not love her and never will.

At 2 we go to John & Maria's. Molly says that Mrs P rang last night to complain about Carole. Why ring Molly? She, Mrs P, rambled on about having a growth on her lung and that she'd been ordered to stop work and that Carole hadn't given her any board money for eleven weeks! Carole is just about demented.

Take Carole to the bus at 6.30 and go home to tea. I will have to remind Carole that things aren't going to get any more serious between us, and that we should cool off somewhat. Marriage is not for me. I reminded Carole this afternoon that this stalemate is unchangeable.

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Saturday April 10, 1976

Carole and I go for a ramble through Hawksworth this afternoon in the sun. Both wear our bomber jackets. She is cheerful today. Call in to see John & Maria after 3, but only Molly is in. She keeps us talking until nearly 5 o'clock.

To Oakwood Hall at 8.30 with Denny and Tony in the Jag. Susan and Peter come too. A good night, but Graham Pease, whose birthday party it is supposed to be, doesn't turn up. Denny and Tony have a difference of opinion about something and look daggers at each other for hours. Keith B comes along and takes Sue away from Peter for the night which amuses me. Peter's face was a sight to behold. The girl on the posters all over the walls is actually on the dance floor. It's amazing how photographs can be touched up. One thing's for sure, she's certainly had her share of 'touching up' from the look of things.

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