My secret diary 1972 November (iii) Boys, a date at the Cat's Whiskers, a reluctant girlfriend

Nov 23 (Thurs)
Usual kind of day. David Hewitt phoned Julie last night, said that they would met us at bus stop - who?! Is it a blind date? Dead nervous. Loads of people off school with flu. Got B and B- for some Russian homework - chuffed. Sleeping at Ju's tomorrow night.

Nov 24th
Got Carol some fruit jelly things for her birthday. Took loads of clothes and things to school to take to Julie's to wear at the dance. We were dead nervous. Took us ages to get ready - we were late. We met Dave and his pal Rob and they took us there. It was good. Nothing to drink. Played Albatross and Moonshadow. Rob's shy. His father died.

Nov 25th (Sat)
Slept at Ju's last night. Poor Rob, I feel sorry for him. He's not handsome and I'm not sure about his character because he was shy. They;re coming to see the Tinkers with us on Sunday. Went to town with mum. She bought a new coat and shoes. Done a lot of homework. Boring, lazy day. COLD.

Nov 26th
Oh stupid day. What did you have to come for? Did homework and odds and bobs. We'd arranged to meet Dave and Rob tonight to see Tinkers, but they weren't on so we went to the pictures. I must be crazy. I was jealous when Dave put his arm round Julie. Rob is shy. He walked me home - dead embarrassed - we didn't say much. Not sure I like him.

Nov 27th
Don't want Rob to phone me up. Mrs Brown's away - I think there's something wrong with the baby - she's pregnant. The plot thickens. Kevin and Roy have invited us to a party-type thing - sounds weird (skinhead probably). Know what I feel like? writing a fantasy book, like Lord of the Rings or Alice in Wonderland.

Nov 28
Nothing further about the plot. Ooh - been invited to the Cat's Whiskers on Thursday (over 18s) by Rob. Ju's going too, I hope. Boring old day. I've got to write a book, but what about? Mrs Brown is still away. Got eyes set on spar lad.

Nov 29
E away yesterday and today. Me and Ju worried all day about going to the Whiskers . Oh flipping heck!! I don't really fancy Rob a dead lot - he's planing my future for me - honestly! He phoned me up telling me he's got me a ticket for a show and there are some parties on at Xmas. Great!! and what's he go planned for 1974? Huff. I'm annoyed.

Nov 30th (Thurs)
Ohh - nervous all day cos of going to Cat's Whiskas tonight. It wasn't too bad. But not sure about Rob. Not my type. There was a lad there though that was! Dead sophisticated! Jackie shut up. Rob paid for me to get in. Plot thickens. Dawn saw me and Ju at dance last Friday and thinks we're 2 timing Roy and Kev.

My secret diary 1972 November (ii) - being scared of the Russian teacher and lusting after Macbeth

Nov 10 (Fri)
Hurray for Fridays!! Had to be at school for 10am. No Chem, geog normal, Russian horrible as usual. Music pretty grotty. Me, Ju, C and R have arranged to meet near the Oldham Hotel on Sunday for the Tinkers. Auntie Emma came, so did Norma.

Nov 11
Seemed to be a completely useless day, in which I achieved nowt. Went into town, to library, looked for new handbag, saw some I liked, but none in black, so I'm going back on Monday. Took Auntie Emma home, Rebecca came too. It was dead dark over the moors - frightening. Done no work hardly.

Nov 12
Another nothing day. Weather's gone absolutely freezing and it's been pouring down for the last few days. Done homework. Read a bit of 'Ice Station Zebra' by Alistair McLean. Went to Tinkers with Ju and RH. Pretty good.

Nov 13 (Mon)
Hello silly ol' diary - I don't know why the hell I'm feeling so happy and carefree - I've got lots of homework piling up on me and me mum's got a bad earache. I hope she'll go t'doctor's tomorrer. I think she's a wee bit frightened. Bought me new handbag - black leather. Nice. Been pouring with rain. Floods all over England.

Nov 14
Gave E her birthday pressie - she was really chuffed I think. Gosh it seems like years ago! Went to dentist - he didn't do owt. A man (ho ho) gave me a lift back - his daughter sees Mr Aron. V interesting. Russian was awful as usual. Hate Tuesdays. Like Mondays best. Saw a mouse in the kitchen - eek! Homework!!

Nov 15
Oh rats - horrid day. Russian was nasty. She asked me a question, it made me look a fool. In maths I got 14/20 in  test. In biology we had a test. Physics - I don't like anyway - yuek! Didn;t have much homework so learnt some Russian vocabulary.

Nov 16
Very cold Brrrr. There are times when one doesn't feel like writing one's diary - especially in winter. Supposed to be seeing Macbath on Saturday, but Miss Turner fell off a train and broke her wrist, so don't know if she's coming. Russ - not too bad, but Ju was upset though. I hate SP and KB more than anyone else!

Nov 17 (Fri)
Oh, I'm frozed. Macbeth and Hockey and E and J for dinner tomorrow - it's all happening - a bit annoyed because E told Ju something - didn't confide in me. She might be breaking up with Dave. Mum's ear is still bad - pretty bad. She's been to doctor's. Got some capsules. Russ okay*.

Nov 18
Ho ho. Hockey in morning. I didn't play. Against Chaddy Grammar - we lost 2-0. I made 2 gallons of soup for everyone. E and Ju came for dinner - mum still poorly. Oh, I wish she's get batter, poor mum. Macbeth in affy in Leeds*. V good play. Macbeth was gorgeous!! Some stupid little 10 year olds sat behind us giggling and talking. Ohhhh - Macbeth, dead masterful.

Nov 19 (Sun)
Sunday gone too quickly. Slept in late. SG came to see me -pleased. Going to town with her tomorrow (Queen's Silver Wedding). Went to see Tinkers. Larry wasn't there. Other singers were on. Q good.

Nov 20
Queen's wedding anniversary (25th). Been nothing else on telly. Funny - she's the patron of the RSPCA but she was wearing mink today. How horrible. Went into town with SG today. Pretty boring, mainly 'cos I didn't buy much. Only a ball of purple wool. I've got my eyes on the Spar lad. Done loads of homework.

Nov 21
It's wrong you know. It's all bloody wrong! Why am I sat here crying? Only because of the pressures of a world that I've had no say in. What right has Miss Hatch to frighten me and give us so much work? Oh why? What part am I playing in this stupid world?

Nov 22 (Wed)
Funny how life looks different now. Don't really know why I was crying last night. Horrid Russ. Going to a dance on Friday. Dead nervous - won't know anyone there except Ju and David Hewitt. Hope I don't feel odd man out.

*Commentary
Nov 17 - As I transcribe my diary I have come to realise how terrorised I was by our Russian teacher. It's actually quite appalling that she was allowed to scare us so much. No-one should have that much power over schoolchildren. Would it happen now?
Nov 18 - the ticket stub is still in my diary. It cost £1.00

Orhan Pamuk - Just finished reading . . .

The Museum of Innocence by Orhan Pamuk


8.5/10

I'm so glad I persevered through the 728 pages of this book. It was hard going at times, spending a long time saying very little, but really saying a lot by the end.
Once, I was involved in a relationship which was a mistake. I stayed in it for much longer than was healthy for me, and it is one of the few regrets of my life that I wasted some years hoping it would get better. The Museum of Innocence is about something similar but more, more, more. Oh - I don't want to give anything away and spoil it for anyone, but I DO want to say that I thing she was a waste of time, and I can't see what he saw in her. Yet, towards the end of the book it transpires that some of his friends and relatives thought she was okay, and even the book's author did. But I could see no evidence in the whole book that she was a nice person, or that she had any real depth of feeling. I think she was a chancer, and he wasted his life on her.
This is a book that made me think about obsession, self-centredness and people not being able to control a single-minded passion. Or can people take that control, but they don't, preferring to wallow?

I learned some things about the Turkish way of life and Turkish culture. The book portrays Turkey in the 1970s and 1980s as being on the interface of Western and Eastern manners and trends.

Would I recommend it? Yes - to those who have the perseverance to keep going. Would I read more of his? Yes - but I'd like a shorter one, I think.

In complete contrast, I'm listening to Martin Chuzzlewit (Dickens) in the car. Another lengthy tome .....

My secret diary 1972 November (i) - nearly a house fire, counting cars and views on thin-faced men.

Nov 1st (Wed)
Gosh hasn't this week gone quick? Well, the week hasn't gone yet, but it nearly has. Did a lot of sewing today, been fixing hem on maxi, collar on mum's* coat, Sandra's dress, won;t be long before I've finished it. Julie came round. Did nothing exciting. Looked at old photos. Found one of Roy. Listened to Goons (again) and Johnny Cash.
Nov 2nd
Now how's that for a coincidence?* The telly man came today, but he didn't have his good-looking son with him (if it's the same telly man). After dinner I went to Julie's. Really we wee hoping to see Kev and Roy but they weren't there. Went into town. Nowt exciting. Saw Monty Python's Flying Circus on the television. Very good.
Nov 3rd
Oh gosh - nearly set fire to the house this morning. Mum went up town and some paper (today's newspaper) caught fire an scorched the rug. Managed to hide it and buy a new newspaper though. In afternoon Julie came and we did our (my) traffic census for geography and it was raining - ha - good fun really. Went to a bonfire in night - I hate fireworks.
Nov 4th (Sat)
Strange day - I hardly seem to have done anything productive (if you seen what I mean). Spent the morning entertaining Rebecca. In afternoon went to town, did some shopping - library (got George Orwell's 'Keep the Aspidistra Flying') Done a tiny bit of homework tonight. At the moment I feel like crying. Dad's been giving me one of his talks.
Nov 5th
Didn't get up till 11.30 awww! Been reading George Orwell - very good, a bit 'naughty'. Ju came for dinner, did some more of the traffic census, checked homework (Awww, what an evil life I lead). After went to see Mrs Hewitt. She cleans at Ju's house. She's lovely, but J thinks her grandson is too. I don't think he's nice looking, okay character. There's a dance at his school.
Nov 6th (Mon)
Oh groan - back at school. Nothing exciting happened really. It's speech day on Thursday, so get affy off. R brought me a lovely birthday present - some long red beads, gorgeous. Awww she shouldn't have though. I spent ages on chemistry homework tonight. I was getting dead upset about it - finished George Orwell.
Nov 7th
Nothing much really - one thing though. Remember David Smith from the moors murders? He's just been charged with the manslaughter of his father. He got 2 days in prison! Makes you think. The American Presidential elections tonight - tell result tomorrow. Speech day soon. In a bad mood. I got C for that stupid Russian prose!!
Nov 8th (Wed)
Hey aren't I doing well with my diary? Russ was terrible today. Miss Hatch read something in Russian and we had to write it in English. It was horrid. Biology as boring as ever. Ju told me that S is going to take Friday off to visit her beloved in Oldham (he works there). I've decided that thin-faced fellas are gorgeous. Had Speech day practice in affy.
Nov 9th
Pretty boring morning at school. Weren't in school in afternoon so me and Ju went into town to buy E's birthday present. We bought bath salts, copper bangle, pendant, motif and liqueur! Speech night. God - what a laugh! So boring and snobbish. Floppy hats and fuss.

*Commentary
Nov 1st - mum died in 1979. It's strange to think that that happened only 7 years after these diary entries.  Still now, all these years later, and as I typed that sentence, my heart yearns. I want to be able to pick up that collar and push my nose into it to smell her. Transcribing this diary creates a strange interaction between my 55 year old self and my 16 year old self.
Nov 2nd - next to this is an arrow pointing up the page to my entry for Nov 2nd 1970, in which the telly man came to mend the telly.