Thursday 23rd December 1937

My ninth call was a “promising contact” with the Borough Parks Superintendent. No more selling until after Christmas! I’ll be glad of the change.

This evening I called at Roedean, with a bottle of port. They had a new wireless and Nancy and I were soon dancing. She also is having lessons, so we made a good pair. The band only played fox-trots, so our lack of skill was not too apparent. One of the tunes was, “Afraid to Dream”. I know that will always remind me of this winter. It is one of Margaret Goddard’s favourites and in fact I performed my first clumsy fox-trot to that particular piece.

Mrs Butler plied me with port apparently thinking I had brought the bottle “for consumption on the premises”, so that I drove home in a rather screwy-eyed state. Still feel a bit screwy-eyed now! I sit alone beside the fire. Half past twelve. Christmas Eve!