Sunday 6th February 1938

Went out with Pat Retallack. We walked along the Pier – she can walk! – and sat in the Solarium. (Where there was a somewhat unimpressive harmony trio in progress.) We talked and we drank Horlicks and I smoked. (I derive satisfaction from being with a girl – young and easy to look at.) We sat in the open and looked sleepily at Kent, from the depths of deck-chairs. Quite warm for February. We played table tennis and deck tennis – two games each at table tennis.

I don’t know! I’m not awfully in love or anything like that. We have not kissed, or talked of love. Perhaps that is more delightful for being delayed… And yet, I like to be with her. And it is not simply because she is young and attractive to others.

Enjoyable small incident. Lois Rogers came into the class some weeks ago, looking for me, as she wished to return a copy of “Fantastic Flight” which I’d lent her.
“Is that your sister?” asked Pat, the same night. “No, I have no sisters,” I said, horribly withholding further information. Today I mentioned there were two daughters at my digs. “Oh,” she said cautiously, “Was that one of the daughters who came into the class room a few weeks ago?” “No” I replied meanly. “Oh, no!” Then we both laughed. “Well who was it”, she asked definitely. “That was Lois Rogers. She lives at Eastwood and is a friend of mine” At last I ceased to prevaricate!