Sunday 6th March 1938

A sunny morning – and Sunday! Warm, not a bit like march. Mad Willy came at eleven o’clock, on his Velocette. We drove to Southend, parked Zephyr and walked along the Pier. At the end we met Pat and Mrs Retallack (I’d half hoped they might be there.)
Mad Willy won at table tennis; I won at deck tennis. Mrs Retallack held out her cigarette case. It was empty except for a folded slip of paper. “You haven’t got any” I said stupidly. “Do take one” she said clearly, so I took the paper and cautiously read it –

“Would you like me to give you (in diary style) any reactions relating to your P.F. with Pat. Amanda R.”

As we strolled back along the pier, she told me that last night as I went, “It’s face fell and it suddenly said, “Oh, I’ll see if the gate wants fastening” (She ran to the door but I had gone.) “The strange thing” added Mrs Retallack, “Is that we never fasten the gate.” “So she is showing faint interest” said the youth hopefully.

Mad Willy and I had tea at The Oasis. Driving back in the evening, he related another real-life drama. Result: I shall not go to Laburnum Cottage any more although Mad Willy and myself will often meet again.

Strange irony of life! One girl loves me, so that she cries when she hears “Smilin Through.” And she doesn’t attract me. Yet I love another girl whilst she “values my friendship”! I swear as I write those three words. Oh Hell! Mad Willy’s story made me feel a worm, but there is nothing I can do. Except keep away. We talked until we reached Eastwoodbury. Then we both got out of the car and blew our noses loudly.