6.9.69 [handwritten]
Dear Mum, just
got your letter about Kevin’s visit. I had asked him if he’d go and see you ˗
but I was surprised that (a) he did so soon and (b) that he stayed so long. Did
you think he’d changed much? I suppose the mere fact of the above shows that he has ˗ and didn’t he dislike cats before?? I
wonder if Fred actually remembered him ˗ they’ve certainly met before.
Though it’s
only the late afternoon I’m working and have been since about 11.45 at the
Cinema. One of the day cashiers is sick so I got an emergency call this morning
˗ just after I’d bought myself some steak for the next two days. I left a letter
for David who arrives today to help himself to it if he wants but I doubt if he
will.
We never all seem
to be together in that flat ˗ today will be one of the few occasions so far,
but tomorrow Angela goes on holiday back to her home so we’ll be back to four
again ˗ or five rather; we’ve had a permanent guest ever since I’ve been back
from Hastings. He does contribute to the upkeep so I suppose that’s something.
The job is
going along and though it’s six hours a night, the time does pass fairly
quickly. I’ve got to work through till 10.00 tonight ˗ time and a half for the
day part of it ˗ but it’s still a hell of a long time. And possibly tomorrow as
well.
The mixture of
people there continues to fascinate me ˗ the doorman is from Trinidad, a
European, but he has the native accent. There’s an Irish night ticket lady, and
another cashier is Irish (with Maltese and Italian parents), another doorman
grew up in NZ! What a place! I still don’t know whether I have a job after the 15th,
but I’m not greatly concerning myself.
Last night (a
night off) we got a call at the flat from Hazel to say that a man had
approached her outsider her present flat, and had so upset her that she’d told
him her flat number and all! She wanted some company in case he did arrive and
caused any more trouble so Ian and I went over. The man never showed up ˗ he’d
said he was a film actor! ˗ but Hazel gave us a meal to compensate for calling us over for nothing! She’s quite
mad, but marvellously sweet. We had a very enjoyable and relaxing evening
really, so it was rather pleasant after all.
Must go back to
work ˗ and leave this Italian restaurant, where someone in the kitchen seems to
have a bad case of grumps. There’s a great palaver going on out back.
Later. What nice people they are that work
here! On Saturday I think it was one of the ticket collector girls went out and
bought me a sandwich and ‘forgot’ to tell me how much it was, and tonight someone
has gone into the baker’s behind the theatre and bought me a Danish pastry ˗
and won’t take anything ˗ what fatal fascination have I that people want to buy
me food all the time!!
Have I told you
I bought a (cheap) camera yesterday. Might at long last get some pictures of
the sort of places I inhabit. Love, Mike
