The Way We were - Leaving

Saturday 12th - Eugen is back from his holiday, and I am dying to see him - just how long ago was it that he departed these shores - a month? Six months? What - only ten days? It seems like a lifetime - and I have to wait until Sunday before I can see him again

Silly, I know, but felt a bit awkward seeing himagain, it's very busy and we barely have time to say more than a brief hello, and the porters are not helping the situation with their constant teasing. It seems that his landlord has told Eugen that he has to find temporary accommodation whilst the flats are being refurbished. Knowing how difficult it is to find accommodation, especially at such short notice, I have told him that he might be able to get a room in Ashley Court, but he is not showing much interest. I feel snubbed, and my attitude is well, suit yourself, mate - you won't get any better for the rent we pay, and it's such a great place to live, I find it hard to understand his attitude.

(Of course, looking back, I can see his point of view all too clearly. You need to be quite a gregarious sort of person to live in what is pretty much a goldfish bowl, and Eugen is such a private person, Ashley Court would not have suited him at all!)

On early shift with Eugen, he showed me that he is wearing the tiny gold St Christopher I bought him for Christmas on a silver chain around his neck, so after work, I popped into the jewellers to buy a matching gold chain. said I was mad, when I gave him the gold chain for his St Christopher! He took the silver one off and gave it to me in exchange for the gold one. I fixed them together and fastened it around his neck, I could feel the warmth of his skin against my fingers and the temptation to put my arms around his neck and hug him, was enormous, but somehow I managed to restrain myself!

I'm happy to find that me'n Eugen are on the same shift, we didn't manage to have breakfast together, but later he rang me from where he was working in the restaurant to ask what I time I finished, but wouldn't tell me why - infuriating man!

Met him on the way up to the canteen, asked me to wait there for him. Finally came in canteen with presents for me that he'd brought back from Switzerland! I'm so surprised and delighted that I quite forget my inhibitions and throw my arms around him! As we are both off duty now, we decide to go for a walk. It's jolly cold and Eugen tucks my arm in his and we cuddle up close, giggling like a pair of teenagers.

We decide to warm ourselves up with a cup of hot coffee, after which, Eugen says he has to deliver a parcel to a Mr. and Mrs. Newbury who live in the very posh Albion Court block of flats, but there is no one in, so we leave a message to say we have been.

As we approach the News Theatre at Marble Arch, Eugen suggests we go in, we had a good giggle feeding each other chocolate Poppets. (Romantic, huh?) Afterwards we decide to go back to Ashley Court, we played records and danced - he's actually quite good at doing the twist! Shared best part of a bottle of gin, showed him how my portable tape recorder works by recording our somewhat inebriated banter... Then I put on my George Shearing LP, we do a little bit of smoochy dancing - and wow!

No! Not that kind of wow!

It was late evening before I showed Eugen off the premises, and just as I opened the main door to let him out, Ann was coming in - I don't know who was the most surprised! We went up to her room for a chat, she's pleased that things are progressing between me'n Eugen, but I'm sorry to learn that she is leaving on Saturday - things just won't be the same without the ebullient Ann around!

On late shift, but went in early, Eugen already on duty, so rang him to come up to the canteen and to my surprise he appeared almost immediately! He says he feels peculiar........Trying to persuade him to come to the party at Ashley Court tonight, but he's most reluctant. Mr. Newbury rang to speak to Eugen about the note we had left him, I tell him that Eugen has now gone off duty, but as I went with him to deliver the parcel, I could pass on a message. He says would we both like to go over tomorrow night for drinks? Mmmmm, being invited out as a couple, now that does sound like a nice idea! I rang Eugen and told him about the phone call and the invitation from Mr. Newberry. Says he can't make it for tomorrow night and not sure about tonight... (Oh Eugen - just give me a straight no!) I managed to get off at 10.30pm, great party, but my eyes were constantly on the look out for Eugen, hoping he might come...(Oh silly, silly girl!)

Eugen rang just before I went off duty to say that we wouldn't be able to go round to the Newbury's tonight, but perhaps Monday. I'm pretty peeved about this, because it is such an excellent opportunity for us to go out together, and I rather like the idea of visiting people as a couple, and we can't keep putting it off, it's looks as though we don't really care about taking up their kind invitation.

Sunday,working til 5.0pm today and the morning stretches interminably, waiting for Eugen to come on duty, but he came in early and popped into the switchroom to chat for a while, then we went up to the canteen for a cuppa. It was nice being on our own for a while, then others started coming in and teasing us.

It seems that Eugen didn't ring Mr. Newbury - so I did. Spoke to Mrs. Newbury, she says she will have a word with her husband and ring back tomorrow. It's not at all busy this evening, so as soon as Eugen is up to date with his work, he spends most of the evening chatting with me in the switchroom. If that wasn't enough, we both managed to have supper together, whilst the porters looked after both reception and the switchboard - they really can be quite accommodating at times!! In fact so besotted am I with the man, that I stay over until almost 9.0pm! He tells me that they are expecting a party of guests arriving in the early hours of the morning, so he has to stay in the hotel overnight - well I wouldn't mind lending a hand...

Room 812 is the smallest hotel room at Stratters, and is always the last one to be let, mostly, it's used by the assistant manager when he's on weekend duty, or if any of the receptionists have to stay overnight, I rang just to see if Eugen had indeed stayed over, he was there ok, arranged to meet in the canteen for breakfast. He seems to be in such good spirits that even Paul, the steward, noticed, Eugen said it was because I was there! (Can you believe this man?) He wanted to know if Mr. Newbury had rung (as if he cared!) I saidhe hadn't, and personally I have given up totally on this situation. Consequently, we never did get to meet the Newbury's.

We finished pretty much at the same time today, so we went round to his old flat in Marylebone High Street to pick up his mail, then in and out of shops. Don't know what Eugen is looking for, but he likes the small exclusive men's boutiques, highlighting the difference between us - Eugen goes for quality whereas I go for quantity! It has to be said that he has excellent taste in clothes, and although he earns little more than I do, his clothes appear to be expensive, whereas mine have very much the high street look to them! We came back together on the bus, cuddling up on the upstairs backseat. He asked me for my phone number, don't know why - cos he never used it!

continuing Leaving

Eugen came into the switchroom for a chat and tells me that he’s bored, he says he’s going to the American Embassy this afternoon to see if his visa’s come though. An icy hand seemed to grip at my heart, I thought he’d said he was going home for his holiday this year (we only got 2 weeks). When I question him further, he says he’s been waiting for months to get a visa that would enable him to work in America. I can’t believe I’m hearing this, I knew he’d already worked in several other countries but he’d never mentioned any plans about going to work in the US.....

This news has really depressed me, I cannot imagine life without Eugen, mind you, I was beginning to wonder how on earth he’d managed to stay as long as he had at Stratters, it looked to be quite a large hotel from the outside, but it was quite insignificant on the inside and I often wondered how anyone ever found it, as the entrance was down a side street. Everything about Stratters was pokey - the front hall was really quite small and decoratively uninspiring. Everyone tripped over each other because of lack of space behind the reception desk, the Porter’s desk occupied a very small corner by the entrance and the telephone room - well! The two person switchboard just fitted into the width of the room, and there was only just room to stand up behind our chairs. We had a large sliding door which we kept open most of the time. Many a prospective telephonist had taken one look at the switch room and declined the job on the grounds of claustrophobia lol! Still, it made our garrett room seemed quite large by comparison, although in fact it too, was rather small for two people to share, just as well Kathy, my fellow telephonist and I got on well together. For a long time we worked the same shifts, but then for some reason Angie decided to move us all around so that we worked on opposite shifts, and then we only seemed to pass on the stairs - all five flights!

I was really disappointed when Kathy told me she leaving - first Ann, now Kathy, but like so many who work in the hotel industry, she wants to travel and is going to work for P & O as a telephone operator on one of the luxury Liners. She paints an interesting picture and tells me I should apply - we might even end up on the same ship lol! I’m not mad about water, and dislike dockyards even less, but like the idea of a job that will take me to lots of exciting places. And if Eugen is planning on going to America, I’m not staying behind to mope. I’m still feeling miffed by his sudden news, so I lose no time in telling him that Kathy is leaving and that I’m planning on leaving too, in fact I get my application off without delay. Stratters may be unexciting in many ways, but as long as Eugen is here, it’ll do me just fine - it’s obvious tho’ that Eugen is bored to the back teeth. Sigh....

Eugen is not enthusiastic about my plans, he says just because Kathy likes the idea of going to sea, it doesn’t mean to say that I will, hah! I suspect he’s now feeling as miffed as I was at his intention to leave.

I now have the choice of having a new room mate at Ashley Court or going into a single room. I choose the single room, it will cost me £2.10.0d (£2.50) per week compared to £2 for the shared room, but I have the added luxury of a balcony overlooking the front of Queensgate. I shall quite miss the view of the rooftops and backs of other buildings that we had in the garrett, the room, with it’s one round window, it was quite dark but on opening the window we could hear all the concerts from the Royal Albert Hall. We could also see the back of The Royal College of Art and were privy to all their parties - they had almost as many as we did at Ashley Court lol, although their’s were much grander, the students would either bein evening dress or fancy costumes and their music was very loud indeed!

Mum rang, she sounded a bit down, mum loved her holidays abroad and has found one of those whistle stop coach holidays that takes in about 10 Countries in 10 days lol! But dad doesn’t fancy it so would I like to go with her? She tells me all the countries we will get to see and when I hear Switzerland mentioned, I’m all for it! Kathy told me that it could take up to 6months before I might actually get on to a ship, so I tell mum to go ahead and book the holiday. When I tell Eugen about it, he says he will be on holiday at the same time and that we should try and meet up when I get to Switzerland.

It took about 2 months for P & O to respond to my application, but an interview has been arranged for next month, so at least things are progressing. I’m not entirely sure this is the way I want to go, but I can’t stagnate, I have to make plans!