Saturday November 22nd

I once more got up late and after an uneasy hour in Mum and Dad's miserable, sighing company I was glad to get away.

I went first to Smiths where I looked at the books downstairs before going to look for that half-price bookshop – I just couldn’t find it. I went up and down all the various streets but just hadn’t the foggiest idea of where it was. Frustrated I went down to Praxis, came away without buying and had another crack.

Eureka! I bought Andrew that Tadanori Yokoo poster book for £2 so that’s him off my mental list. From there I went to the library and took the four books back (“Battle Royal – unread – “Lenin and the Russian Revolution” unread; “First Blood”; unread; and “Rupert of the Rhine”; unread). The total fine was 40p but they were only a couple of days overdue.

I got home at 3.15 – it’d cost me £1.28p to go into Easterby. I listened to the radio (N. P had arrived) and to Athletic drawing 1-1 at Ryburn (Reg Goldman scored) before having my hair washed and setting off to Lee’s at 5.45. Duncan rang me while I was out too so I rang him back.

I got to Lee’s at 6.30 (or thereabouts) and we walked up to Blakey’s arriving at 7.15. Her home is quite nice – a bungalow – and is in a nicer part of Crimshaw and we were ushered in by Deborah looking very chic in a pale blue-green evening dress. Claire Pearson and Duncan Verity were there, as were Mr and Mrs Blakey who were getting ready to go out to a Beer festival.

They soon went and we were all left on our own. Initially we all settled down to a game of “Monopoly” (how jolly) but that soon faded as we started talking.

We watched a bit of television and talked. Jeremy, it was revealed, had declined to come because I’d insulted him (?). It was very warm in the room and I must say I thoroughly enjoyed it. The low point of the evening, inevitable as low points are, came half-way through when Lee knocked over a pot of coffee, and things generally took on an air of boredom.

After “Hammer House of Horror” finished at 10.15 we switched off the television and just talked – not about anything really, just things – but the atmosphere was such that it was enjoyable. Better than my normal Saturday night entertainments anyway.

Deborah’s Mum and Dad came back at 10:40 and her Mum gave me a lift back. Deborah and Claire came along for the ride and I got back at 11.15.

I really have enjoyed the evening – nothing spectacular but it makes a change. The whole atmosphere and the air of friendliness was so novel to me, socially backward as I am, that I could’ve stopped for a lot longer easily. I’m now wanting to go to this Christmas do on December 15th or 16th. Roll on Monday!!