Monday 21st January 1980
I telephone Carole, my middle sister, my muddled sister, to tell her the sad news – ” Did she commit suicide ? “, says Carole …
” Give me Andrew”, I said, restraining my pent up anger. He understands and doesn’t act.
I return my salopettes to Alpine Sports – the queue-barger woman. Then have a long rap with Tom Bovingdon up in Harrod’s Olympic Way about golf nets, people and ancient ledgers.
To Basil Street … Doc 15 minutes late. Supertramp ‘Child of Vision’ playing as we near Guy’s Hospital ( my birthplace 13.7.1954 ) Keat’s House – for my homeopathic appointment with Anthony Fry. He’s ½ hour late as well. Prescribes Lithium Carbonate, ” Slow down kid !” . Say goodbye to Michael ( Doc ) and hop into Buttercup. I am intoduced to to Revelations 14 – the references to the Lamb, Syon ( Zion ) Hill etc.. Amanda Fitzalan-Howard comes for tea – fresh baked bread and chai. Colour selections – has to dash off to see her knitters. Take loaf of bread to Bishop’s.
9.30p.m. arrive at Gail Bishop’s house on Leatherhead Golf Course – snacks from the kitchen. Gail understands and so does her pitiable sister but the new boyfriend refuses to open up – & was a a right Bolshevic. Morris stalled 200 yards up the road. A fine household of people.
Back to town at about 2a.m. …
Tuesday 22nd January 1980
4.30a.m. or so Morris and I set off towards Heathrow, but needing gas, we stop at the garage on North End Road at Baron’s Court & guess what, she doesn’t want to leave. Not even when 2 Frenchmen give her a push – ” Prend élan “, they say to me on leaving. Bizarre mais la verité. So I shove Morris round the corner & leave her for the day outside M.Cornelle’s flat which was probably one of the safest spots.
Then it’s autostop to H’row – one man stops but he’s not going far. Bless him anyway. Then a taxi takes me to Terminal 1 for £6-50 – quick breakfast served out by some rather ignorant Indian ladies, then at 6.40a.m. British Airways set off to Paris – headphones on amongst a pleasant mix of people. Manage to get hold of the death announcements in the Times/Telegraph when I’m 25,000′ up. Arrive at the appalling Charles de Gaulle – how does anyone manage to find their way around that tubular monstronsity ? 30 mins wait at the bank – papier, papier, toujours papier !
Then bus into Gare de L’Est – meeting a friend en route to whom I give the threepenny bit. Arrive chez Didier at roughly 11a.m. – il attend le plombier. Post letters to Chris Sandford and Wanda re Revelations 14. Speak to Marie on phone twice – pauvre petite – tired at first then having to work on the ‘Corail’. Didier and I clean up the flat – take chai – then kip for 2 hours. 100 francs for Didier, sending package. Then out to Samaritaine for 3 frisbees, dried fruits, olive oil, Greek wine, M.C.Escher book for Sue (Gernaey), stickers, peppercorns, taramasalata.
Remarkable quartier environ de l’église ST. ÉSTEPHE – blending of Forum Les Halles and the counterculture cobbles. Back to Didier – ring Cha & then Jill Frederick’s sister. Then metro with Colombian sack & hessian sack full of gifts – musicians abounding underground. Arrive at Les Invalides virtually broke to take bus to Orly – an almost deserted airport nowadays. Catch Kuwaiti Airways flight back to H’row, one of the most enjoyable flights I have ever taken – then back by tube to Baron’s Court. Spoke to guy called Chris Parfitt who had just returned from India. Yet another believer. Morris starts first time !
Sue and Patrick’s drinks party – then off to Kim and Françine for supper and so to bed.
Whatalong day.
Wednesday 23rd January 1980
Morris heads off to score & discovers she can’t do much about traffic jams in the Queenstown Road. Meet Robin, Charlotte, Sarah & baby Adam – then another old Morris drives me back to WKP 795. I decide to give her a rest outside Raven Records. Addison Lee take me to Anthony Fry at Guy’s ( what a dull driver … I had to resort to my headphones to avoid listening to him ! ). Anthony is 20 mins late ( Doctor’s prerogative ) but I practice a little Dari in the waiting room.
Then walking over London Bridge, past Greig Fester. New patisserie on Gracechurch St., talking politics. Down Central Line to Holborn / change to Piccadilly & arrive at Knightsbridge. Then walk to Albert Bridge & find taxi after Diners’ Clubbing another (No.3 ) Sony 121 + headphones. Collect Morris from Raven Records.
Telephone Maggie Lapiner, tracing hr to Perivale. She tells me she’s just starting in a pub, the ‘Seagull’, between Southall & Greenford. So I storm up there; Maggie looking lovelier than ever, play the juke-box, have our halves of Guinness and smoke a few fags. Then off homeward bound, Morris really firing on all cylinders ! Set off on a search for Benhams ( unable to find ), Bennett’s … ” not in gym shoes, sir “, la di da di da di da. So up to Françoise, which looks as though a bomb hit it. Then on to Fingal’s ( Fulham Road ), closing but waitress recommends Sloan’s. That was closing too as was the Hard Rock – what a sleepy city we live in.
So it’s back to Altenburg for scrambled eggs on toast.
AND
SO
TO
BED
where the festivities continue – superbon
extra.
Thursday 24th January 1980
Maggie sleeps on, bless her heart. Then off we go for another day in the life of. First stop Nat West Pont St. at 10.15a.m. but the new manager is unobtainable. My old friend Mr Mycock has retired – he wouldn’t have bounced a cheque for £250. Troubles with the Technocrats. And so on down to Heathrow with Maggie, my gorgeous friend. Morris stops at the wrong terminal. Object find Gail. Friends help & Gail is paged from the departure lounge.
Maggie and I were standing at the iron gates in front of the departure channel when, from nowhere it seemed, six sisters or nuns were buzzing around us, like little hummingbirds. A most beautiful moment it was, then Gail appears through the doors to receive her gift – the Sony & phones, 3 cassettes, 2 candles and a card saying ‘ Go as you are ‘ – all wrapped in a sheet of the Times in a Raven Records bag ! We buy some more Duracells, then Gail has to go … to Moscow then Kenya.
I introduce Maggie to my friends up at the coffee shop & we eat some lunch. Then it’s bye bye – me going to Sunningdale, Maggie back to Perivale. Hand over my sneakers to the Pro’s Shop and play 13 holes with Peter Breeden – he 2 over par, me a bit ropy but not too bad. Then set off for my 4p.m. appointment at Allen & Overy ( Solicitors ) – I’m ½ hour late cos Morris stopped on a roundabout by the ‘ Compleat Angler Hotel ‘ – fine black guy helps me out & we tow start her … give him £2 for his trouble.
Ted Molt says hello in Knightsbridge ( he used to have Morris convertible ). Reach A&O – Sir Godfrey Morley, Colin Welsh, Derek Sloan. £360 cheque from mum’s estate. Derek stays to hear the week’s events and hands over Mange 2’s company memorandi. Mange 2 is born ! Glowing orange fire-ball sun over Buckingham Palace as I was driving back down the Mall.
Supper chez Franny & one non-believer. Nick Porritt, Losely man, Charlie. Mark Fielden calls. Depart at midnight …
Friday 25th January 1980 VISIONS
3a.m.
The Spire on the Hill
( St. Marks )
Doves † Courage
The White Cat
The Song
Solsbury Hill
Peter Gabriel
Bath … laughing about the Game, the Great Game
Sunday 24th February 1980
5’ish to Syon Park with Sue Gernaey & Rufus ( dog ). The whole tour from Harry Percy. Syon ↔ St.Paul’s. Obelisk & gifts.
Monday 25th February 1980
Window cleaner. Mr Unigate & suit. Mr Halsey, news of Mycock. ” Never cut out to be a bank manager ” … ” Well, none of us are really “. Harrods Book Dept.. Julian & Georgie for tea. London Window Co. and Sotheby’s talk. Jehovah’s Witnesses. Doc Michael, house supper for 6 and laughter. Toast … absent friends.
Tuesday 26th February 1980
‘ Living by numbers … does it all add up to you ? ‘ Calmate, Sue. Message re Gail dizzy, call Jamie at Dixons on Capital Radio. Gasmen bring the wrong clock. Take fishcakes to Jayne Phillips, Majid Saud, Dr. Kelly & Harry P. at Priory + mushroom. Morris no go. By bus past Northumberland Arms to Altenburg. Walk to Clapham Common bandstand – clock configuration. Letters from Kitty & Jayne – former with silver cross & chain. The present †. Tea-time re Dr. Flood, talking of AJPS. Amanda brings her creations ( jerseys ). 7.15p.m. to Sue & her telephone – Rufus returns.
New Genesis album in 10 days. New single … ” Turn it on again “.
Wednesday 27th February 1980
Up with the birds and dustmen. Thinking of Lady Mary Rose Williams ( mum’s best friend ) and Mr McNair-Wilson ( Lymington M.P. ) and connections thereto. Lady at the crossroads … ” I’ve seen you here before “. Touch cures nausea – ta Sue P. Rang Gran – she saw eclipse in Kenya. Outing to Graham Millar ( trustee ) – the evil Bolingbroke story & Mr Inglis at Touche Ross – back via Sainsbury’s with nausea continuing. To bed at 1p.m., Jayne rings with news of Harry at 2.30p.m.. Poisonous pesticides killed the peregrines.
More nausea – calls to Desmond Kelly & Harry.
Thursday 28th February 1980
Dizziness