continuation of The Way We Were

Used up my 25,000 words lol!

ok - fast forward to Christmas 1962

22nd December - the day started off well, Eugen and I managed to have breakfast together for a full half hour, without either of us being called back early - a quite rare event.

He seems to be in a bit of a devilish mood, hiding behind the door and then jumping out on me, he had me up against the door and was threatening to bite me, when Mitch, the head porter forced his way through. I think he got a bit of a shock, catching the two of us at that point - knowing how reserved Eugen normally is, he wouldn't understand that, with Eugen, it's all 'horseplay'. Although his 'horseplay' even surprises me at times!

Well - this day has to go down in history!! This is the day that goes down in my diary as Kiss Day - circled! Eugen kisses me for the very first (but, happily, not the last) time! Of course it had to be the mistletoe - there was no way I was going to pass up a chance like this, and I came into work armed to the teeth with the stuff - some holly too, I didn't want to make it look that obvious lol! Udo, who works in Control, couldn't wait to put it to good use - not that he ever needed an excuse, but it set the tone for every one else to let go of their inhibitions. Just as I was beginning to think everybody but Eugen, had made use of the mistletoe, Vince, one of the porters, pushed me into the back room where all the luggage is stored, slammed the door and held it fast, In the darkness I was aware of someone reaching out for me - and was greatly relieved to find that it was Eugen. We spent what seemed like very long moments, under that mistletoe, and no one seemed to be in a hurry to fetch us out of there. The barriers were well and truly down now, Eugen could not leave me alone, we spent the rest of the evening kissing and cuddling. Everyone seemed to be in a jolly mood, even Emilio, the new assistant manager, joined in by bringing us all a round of drinks. At 11.0pm we walked over to the bus stop, for a moment, I thought he was going to get off the bus at my stop, it seemed as though he did not want the evening to end.......

Got back to Ashley Court to find the lights had fused, but the party that was in full swing in the bar, did not falter, despite not having any music. In fact a party by candlelight is to be highly recommended!

I thought I felt a cold coming on, and today I am sure of it. Strangely, Eugen has the sniffles too - a fact that does not get past the eagle eyes of the porters, and there is a great deal of rude innuendo... Eugen's mood is not quite what I would have hoped for, there is a lot of good humoured banter, and Udo is determined to take every advantage of the mistletoe season - but Eugen is being very suggestive one minute, sarcastic and hurtful the next. I do not like any of this, and I'm relieved that the crew from El-Al airlines are in to keep us all busy. Rafi Shaul, who is good looking and good fun, but a bit of a rogue with the ladies, has asked me out again.

I quite like his round, cheerful face, the sultana-brown eyes, even the chipped front tooth adds to his rakish charm, it’s very difficult getting him to accept a no. He's in and out of the switchroom, cajoling, until I agree to go out for a coffee with him. But before leaving at the end of my shift, I leave a note for Rafi, cancelling our date. He rings me at Ashley Court, trying to persuade me but I tell him I have other arrangements, it's then that he tells me that one of the stewardesses tried to commit suicide this morning - Stratter's have been trying to hush it up, but it seems that Rafi is involved in some way. Now I feel guilty, perhaps he wanted to talk about it...

My friend Ann came up to the garrett, had long, in depth talk, and decided to cheer ourselves up by opening all our Christmas presents. When Kathy, my room mate, came in later, I told her I had done something I shouldn't. "What - with Eugen???" was her immediate reaction, lol!

On early shift,  first thing - Rafi came in switchroom and said how nice I looked, I was surprised that he was still talking to me. Lenny and Gerry, who bus the crew in from the airport, came in for a chat, Rafi came back and sent them out, then he grabbed me - kissed me hard, and disappeared again! I think he's forgiven me.... Things have not improved between myself and Eugen, we don't seem to be able to speak civilly to each other for more than five minutes.

During the morning we were invited into the manager's suite to have a Christmas drink, it all seemed rather strained. Alasdair Fraser, the manager, is not the most gregarious of men. The housekeeper, Emilio, Eugen and myself stand around awkwardly, making small talk, it’s a relief to escape back to work!

Christmas Day - Somehow managed to arrive early for work, so walked around for a while, it makes a change to have Oxford Street all to myself. Mr Fraser has invited all the staff to have lunch in the restaurant with him. It was a lovely meal, but if it hadn't been for Mrs. Thomas, the housekeeper, being so jolly (thanks to the martinis), it could have been disastrous. We all feel very much out of place, and Mr. Fraser manages to keep the lid on any Christmas frivolity that might surface. Mrs. Thomas is happily impervious lol!

Afterwards, Eugen gets down to some work, and just as I'm thinking that he doesn't want to have any fun, he came in the switchroom and - surprise, surprise, gave me some beautifully wrapped Christmas presents! Since he started wearing his lovely, warm, brown overcoat, I nicknamed him 'Teddy Bear', and so he has given me the record of Elvis Presley singing 'Won't you be my Teddy Bear' (Yes please!) and a toy bear!

He's back in a happy mood now, and even pulled me onto his knee, happily hugging and kissing. Maisy, the assistant housekeeper, invited us back to her room at Ashley Court, for a party, but still couldn't persuade Eugen to come. Larry, one of the receptionists, is going, so the three of us walked arm in arm down Oxford Street, until Larry hails a passing taxi, I say a hurried goodbye to Eugen and the taxi whisks us off to Ashley Court. It's a very lively party, but I can only think of Eugen.

Boxing Day - Had to get a taxi to work, myself and a strange young man, both seemed to think we had stopped the taxi, so we agree to share it, then some else asks if they can share it too - there does not seem to be too many taxis around and soon I find myself sharing with a host of strangers! I am dropped off first and told that the rest of them will share the cost between them. What gentlemen!!

Paul, our steward, is off all over Christmas, so we have to fetch our meals from the kitchen ourselves, happily, Eugen takes on this task and runs around after me, seeing to my every need. There is very little to do, the hotel is practically empty, talking to telephonists in other hotels, and the Cable & Wireless Operators, is the best way of passing the time. Mrs. Brown, one of the Housekeepers, says I can have one of the rooms and watch T.V. if I like, so after I have finished work, Eugen gives me a key to one of the rooms, and says, teasingly, that if I want to take a bath, he will come and scrub my back! (Yes, Eugen, I think we've heard all this before...) I might just as well make myself at home and take advantage of having a rather nice suite for the afternoon and happily splash around in the bath for a while. Whilst I'm sitting there clad only in a bath towel, I hear a key in the door, clutching my bathtowel tightly around me in alarm  - I find Eugen standing there.........

I'm afraid to make a dash for the bathroom in case I lose my towel, so we are sitting there on the bed, and I'm wondering what on earth I am going to do if he makes a move on me. Dreaming is all very well - reality is something else altogether - and I’m in a very vulnerable position lol. I’m just dying with embarrassment, but he sits there chatting away, finally I tell him that I am not getting dressed until he’s gone - which he refuses to do. There's nothing for it but to grab my clothes and head for the bathroom - he offers to dry me down but I tell him I can manage, thank you!

When I’m ready to go, we walk to the bus stop, it's snowing and slippery underfoot, so I hang tightly on to his arm. We decide to go for a cup of coffee, before we catch the bus. Then we go our separate ways. The mood between us had a been a tad strained, I think it was the old, old story of a women wanting one thing out of a relationship and the man wanting something else......

Eugen's in a frivolous mood - he greeted me with "hello darling" in front of the guests and staff - this is not the Eugen I once knew .....Had our dinner together, just he and I, looking after me again - fetching our food up from the kitchen. He said he'd been thinking about me since yesterday (wonders will never cease!), told me all about his home in Switzerland - makes me yearn to see Switzerland all the more...

As I hadn't given him anything for Christmas, I went out and bought him a tiny St. Christopher that I thought he might attach to his watch, but he says he's going to wear it next to his heart! Being very lovey-dovey, putting our arms around each other and joking about me keeping him warm in bed. ( I’m shocked!) If I had ever wondered what I would do when the joking stopped - and reality began, I knew now, as my diary entry says - " he really did want me to go back to his flat with him - but I just couldn't". It must seem very strange in this day and age - even to me, that when I'm apparently offered what I've been hankering after - I turn it down. But then, I don't know exactly what Eugen had in mind at that point, I got the impression that he may have wanted more than I was prepared to give - that naughty word 'sex' was not part of my vocabulary - nor my way of life. Nice girls simply 'didn't do it'. This may have been the ‘Swinging Sixties’ - but ‘swinging; referred to the music - not the way of life lol! Believe me, we were not the free loving souls that so much has been written about. Sex was still taboo and ‘the pill’ was not freely available. You had to be married to get it on prescription, if you were engaged you might be able to persuade your doctor to let you have it. Generally speaking, sex was not usually part of a casual relationship, we had a lovely period called ‘courting’, something that today’s young people know nothing about - ah, so much has been lost in the scramble for ‘equality’ and ‘ sexual freedom’. Women not only had the choice to say no, but it was usually expected lol! Of course, they all tried it on, oh the promising relationships that suddenly ended - can’t think why....... :-/

I wasn’t looking for a sexual, relationship with Eugen - well not specifically, I just wanted to get it on to a proper footing. I never knew where I was with him. I’d never known a relationship like it and it was driving me crazy. The funny thing was - everyone else at Stratters thought we were in a full blown relationship - I doubt if they’d have believed the truth. Despite all the promising signs, we were really not that much closer, in his private life, Eugen remained distanced from the rest of us.

There was always so much fun to be had, we were mostly young, single people and nobody ever needed an excuse to have a party lol! Grand Met. were very good, and arranged some great parties for the staff. Ashley Court had it’s own ballroom, with a long balcony running the length of it, and every so often they’d organise a ‘do’ for all the employees , so we got to meet the staff from other hotels in the Group that didn’t live in Ashley Court. Consequently we were always meeting new people, just as well really, because although Eugen was constantly on my mind, I still managed to have a lot of fun.

I have lots of packing to do - I’m spending a long weekend at home, I invited Eugen to come with me - but he declined. Derby tomorrow, Sheffield Sunday, and Manchester Monday. Eugen finally told me that the nickname he and John H have for me is 'Lorelei', as they think I look like the little mermaid who looks out over the bay in Stockholm. I told him that they both had very vivid imaginations - bearing in mind that she's naked!! Never the less I feel very flattered - better Lorelei than Attila!

Poor Eugen is feeling very ill, he has a really bad sore throat, and looked very flushed and vulnerable. We share the big chair in the canteen, and ignore the ribald comments from everyone. He says how can I leave him at a time like this! (Look mate, we've not even got a proper relationship going yet - don't start getting all possessive!) I have written him a letter, goodness knows what mawkish rubbish I put in it, he seemed a little taken aback when I gave it to him (apparently he thought it was a 'goodbye, I'm not coming back' letter - as if!).

Richard Beymer is here! Just my luck that one of my favourite film stars should arrive, just as I'm away for a few days! I saw him in ‘Woman of Summer’ with Joanne Woodward and thought he was just gorgeous. Not being backwards at coming forwards, when he comes on the phone, I tell him, without being too sycophantic, how pleased I am that he's staying here, but how disappointed I am, that I won't be here during his stay, he assures me that he will still be here when I get back - and that perhaps we can go out sometime - what!! Can I have that in writing please?? Later, we meet in the lounge, and he comes over to talk to me, it's only afterwards that I wonder how on earth he knew it was me - we had only spoken on the phone!

Eugen goes to Switzerland today, and I go to Derby, I miss him so much - I barely give the astonishingly handsome Richard Beymer, a second thought (from this distance in time, I find that almost unbelievable!) It is very cold in Derby, but brave the winter winds to go round the shops. Maurice and Jan, (bruv & s-i-l) both being in catering, are excellent cooks, so the food is just wonderful. Eugen enjoys good food, and I keep thinking how much he would enjoy their cooking.

It's nice to have a lie-in and not be nursing a sore head from the night before, or trying to rememberif I'm due to do any over-time - just to be able to relax, with the day stretching ahead. This really does not happen often enough - I'll be old before my time! My first thoughts are of Eugen - I wonder if he is having a lie-in too, at home in Switzerland. Had wonderful lunch again, then set off for Sheffield, mum surprised to see us all, but disappointed that Eugen didn't come - aren't we all!

It was nice to get some belated Christmas presents, a black and pink baby doll nightie from mum and a pretty bed jacket from my sister.

Monday 31st - Stayed in bed until 10.30am then went round the sales. Mum bought me some nice warm gloves and a pair of smart leather boots. I bought myself a capacious leather bag - big enough to fit all my knitting inside! After watching T.V. in the evening, I was ready for an early night, but I know how much mum likes to go to the Watchnight Service - I remember how it used to be my favourite night of the whole year, but that seems like another lifetime now. Once upon a time, the church would be filled to capacity, now it is heartrendingly empty, met only one of my friends from the old, church-going days.

The village streets are quite empty, just the occasional reveller, making themselves heard in the quiet of the morning. Once upon a time, the streets would be filled with churchgoers, and only the sounds of people calling out "Happy New Year" would be heard.

New Years Day 1963 - and it's a quiet one. Not many people around, it's cold and miserable and everyone's staying by their fireside! Mum and me decide to be brave and venture into town; I've heard a lot about a new film going around called 'West Side Story' - great dancing and great songs, sounds like my kind of film!! So me'n Mum decide to go and see it - and what a surprise I got! I didn't know Richard Beymer was in it - he was fantastic! Can't wait to get back to Stratters to see him.

December 2004 - 41 years on and West Side Story is on Channel 4. Richard looks so young, his face had filled out and he looked more ruggedly handsome by the time he came to stay at Stratters in 1962. Where are you now Richard??? On seeing West Side Story again, I think I may have to pronounce it my all time favourite musical - it has everything, great songs, amazingdance routines and three gorgeous men - Russ Tamblyn, George Chakiris and, of course, Richard Beymer!

Wednesday 2nd - Going back to London today - awful journey, had to change trains, then it did not go all the way to St Pancras Station, had to get off at Kentish Town and get a tube the rest of the way to Bond Street. I can do without all this hassle when I have to work until 11pm... Went straight to Stratters - and there in the front hall is Richard! Said hullo and welcomed me back, asked if I'd had a good weekend. Then wished me Happy New Year and planted a kiss on my cheek - I'll never wash again! Emilio teasing me about 'hob-nobbing' with the Stars! Feel better now, Richard and his friend David are on the phone quite a lot so there's plenty of teasing going on between us. Richard is a really lovely guy, very friendly and appears to be totally unaffected by his success.

Don't mind being on the early shift when there is a gorgeous looking feller staying here! Richard and David are having coffee in the lounge on the mezzanine floor, and they wave as I go past on my way to the ladies but have gone by the time I come out - hey, I wasn't that long! a waiter hands me a pack of American cigarettes that's been left behind, and asks me if I would like to pass them on to 'my friends' (!!) My pleasure - not that I need to be handed an excuse to talk to Richard - I'll find some reason!

Found them both in the front hall, so gave Richard the cigarettes and stayed chatting till the taxi they had ordered, arrived. (I guess someone is on the switchboard...) They offered me a lift, but unfortunately it's not yet time for me to leave - pity...

El-Al crew are in and Aaron and Rafi lose no time in asking me out, but we are having a bit of a belated New Year party at Ashley Court, neither are best pleased and I just pray no one mentions 'party' to them otherwise things could get rather complicated...

We are having the party in one of the larger rooms, the ones that are shared by three people are really huge with very high ceilings, when the beds are pushed right back against the walls - to be used as seating - there's loads of room for dancing. I left my dansette record player (remember them lol!) behind the desk in the reception at Ashley Court for someone to pick up and take to the party room, but it disappeared!!! We are frantic - you can't have a party without music! Eventually it’s discovered that 'mad John' (odd job man at AC) has taken it - for safekeeping! I expect he will not hand it back until he's invited to the party...all he's interested in is the drink - so hopefully a few beers will keep him at bay.

We have a great time, there are loads of gatecrashers, but then there always are, you can't keep a party quiet in Ashley Court. Still, they are dispatched to the nearest beer-off - all contributions gratefully received... As things calm down and revellers prop themselves against the nearest obstacle, the music becomes more MJQ (Modern Jazz Quartet) than rock'n roll, and as no one is prepared to go along to the milk machine on Ken High, it will be black coffee all round, when that runs out someone goes to fetch some more from their own stock, but it turns out to be that syrupy sweet bottled stuff - ugh! Black coffee is just about palatable, but black Camp coffee is another thing altogether!

Friday - I had agreed to meet Aaron for lunch today, but I am not feeling like eating anything, or hauling myself out of bed any earlier than I have to, so, typical of my arrogant, thoughtless youth, I simply don't turn up. I could hear the phone on the landing just outside my bedroom ringing away, but my solution is to simply not answer it. (Manners? Consideration? - hmmm, these I have yet to learn...)

I'm pleased to see that Richard and David are still here; I heard rumours that they were leaving, although the little green demons rise when I see there is a girl with them. But flush with pleasure when Richard calls out "Hiya, sweetheart"! He is on the phone quite a lot again, and in between the calls we have a good laugh - he has a crazy sense of humour - and says if I have the time, to give him a ring and we'll have a chat, naturally I could not pass up an invitation like that... He tells me that he did not sing in West Side Story, and, despite its great success, it is not his favourite film. He advises me to see The Longest Day, which he recommends highly, but I am into frothy comedies and musicals, nevertheless, I show some enthusiasm, and assure him that I will. In the meantime Aaron and Rafi are in and out of the switchroom - Aaron demanding explanations (I did not make a note of my excuses - thinking things up on the spur of the moment is all too familiar to me - selfish bitch that I was) But I am forgiven and another date is made.

Rafi wants to know why I am willing to go out with Aaron, but not with him. It's a tricky one, but Rafi's reputation is not a good one, and I see little point in spoiling the fun, lighthearted relationship that we have at present - but Rafi will not take no for an answer, so eventually I came straight back to Ashley Court, thinking it wiser not to go out with either of them! Never mind Rafi, soon you will find your little place in history lol!