Journey Home

 

It’s a pity that I didn’t start my journey homewards a week earlier, as on Saturday November 13th Gene Pitney was in concert at Sheffield’s City Hall and Monday November 16th Craig Douglas is appearing in ‘No, No, Nannette’ at the Lyceum Theatre - ah well - can’t have everything I suppose, and I’m finding my journey across various Countries most interesting.

I spent a cold draughty night on Janet’s garret room floor. Despite it being November, there was no heating, and no hot water with which to get washed in the morning. There was a depressing view from her window of a jumble of fire escapes, (think West Side Story lol) My small room at The Importner with its view of quaint tiled roof tops and my own basin with hot & cold running water, was sheer luxury compared to this.

After our mid night chat about Janet’s dilemma over the seductive husband, I was most intrigued to meet the man who was causing her so much anguish. Janet was a lovely lass, and I couldn’t have imagined her getting herself into this sort of situation . But when I met him, I understood - testosterone on legs lol! A nice looking man, rather than strictly handsome - not in the league of pretty boy Sasha Distel, or ugly mug Serge Gainsbourg, but somewhere in between. He gave me a disarming friendly smile and shook my hand firmly, when Janet introduced us, but the way he lit his galoise whilst looking at me with those sexy brown eyes, blowing the smoke high into the air [which was just as well, other wise I would have sneezed and spoilt his seduction technique ;-) ] then blowing out the match favouring me with another covert sensual glance. My heart hammered in my chest, I did not care for this man at all - I would have run a mile from him, I understood only too well how he could affect a young girl ( in fact any female...) The alarm bells were ringing, my heart was pounding with apprehension rather than attraction, I felt the sexual tension that he seemed able to generate at will. Janet said that when she had gone for her interview with the family, the husband had been away on business, and as he was often away she felt she could cope.

I told her later he ought to wear a sign across his forehead proclaiming "This man is dangerous" because that’s how he struck me - a danger to women anyway. Janet said that despite her better judgement, she felt an enormous attraction towards him which she was finding increasingly hard to resist, but knew it would allend in tears. Before I left Paris to continue my journey, Janet promised she would look for another job - I just hoped it would be pretty damn quick - the man was a menace!

Janet wasn’t able to come to the station with me with the consequence that I found myself at the wrong station, I had a mad dash to the Guar Du Nord and missed my train. Eugen had arranged to meet me so I had to send a cable off to him (don’t ask - I can’t remember why it was a cable rather than phone, I can only assume he wasn’t on the phone at the flat - and no mobiles lol!) Unfortunately, catching a later train meant that we would have less time to spend together before I had to catch my connection to take me to The Hook, for my boat home :-(

He managed to meet me ok, having got my cable, we walked around Amsterdam with its tall narrow houses, cobbled streets and myriad of bicycles. Eugen showed me the hotel where he worked and we went in for a drink and then stayed for something to eat. He said what a shame it was that we had so little time and suggested that I stayed overnight at the flat he shared with his friend Kees, and catch the boat tomorrow. So I cancelled my booking and went back to his flat, climbing the steepest stairs I had ever climbed in my life - I felt as though I wanted to go up on my hands and knees, they seemed to be almost vertical! ( and coming down was even more terrifying!) I met Kees and another friend who looked after me until Eugen had finished his late shift at the hotel. We chatted until the early hours, Kees, who worked for KLM Dutch Airlines, said he was on standby and would probably be leaving very soon, so if I wanted to stay a bit longer, that was ok by him!

I spent yet another cold night in a sleeping bag on yet another floor, but Kees was up very early and said I could go and get into his warm bed lol! The only thing was - he shared the bedroom with Eugen - there were just two very narrow (and very hard!) bunks against opposite walls - oh well...........I was too cold to care.........

Tuesday November 17th 1964 and I was expecting to be in London today, but still in Holland and no sign of my leaving yet.......I’m having to send my parents postcards on a daily basis with the latest change in plans!

Eugen and I had breakfast together before he went off to work, I tidied round the flat and during the morning his Landlady came to bring me a cup of coffee and introduce herself. She popped in several times before Eugen came back for lunch - and again afterwards....... I played records and wrote letters in between visits from the Landlady ;-) then went to meet Eugen from work. Everyone in Holland seems to speak English and I had no difficulty in asking for directions. We wandered the pretty streets of Amsterdam for a while then went for a drink and a meal. I was somewhat apprehensive at sleeping in the same room as Eugen for the first time.........but he gave me a kiss goodnight then popped into his own bed and was soon fast asleep :-/

He brought me a cup of tea in the morning before leaving for work. Frau Koulie continued with her popping in every five minutes, so I took myself off for a wander round the shops, bought lots of postcards and sent some of them off to Eugen’s family. He is working until 11 o’clock tonight, but Frau Koulie came up and a friend of Kees & Eugen’s stopped by, so we all watched TV until Eugen came back. After the others had gone, we had quite a chat about what we both wanted out of life, and Eugen made it quite clear that his intention was to travel - settling down was not part of his plans...... I told him of mine and Jenny’s plans to travel, he said he hoped we would meet up again during our respective travels.

Thursday November 19th 1964 In the morning went to the station to finally book my berth on the boat home, as I will be travelling overnight. Spent the afternoon with Eugen walking and having fun, we have a nice easy friendship, and although I would have liked more, I too want to travel, so it’s a dilemma that he has settled for the both of us!

It was a nice easy journey home, slept well on the boat - no seasickness. I shared a cabin with another girl, and luckily we got on well together. Chatting with my fellow passengers on the train to London made the journey go quite quickly. Although it was very early in the morning, Jenny met me at the station and took me back to her place before going on to work. I went to see everyone at Stratters, it’s great to be back and Mrs. Angus wants me to go back to work there - how can I tell her that going back to working shifts is not in my plans at all......Went round to see my friend Kathy in her offices in Hanover Square, before meeting Jenny, who also works in Hanover Square, for lunch, then we went back to her office where she suggested I ring Tony Hall - he was surprised to hear that I was back in London and suggested meeting up for a drink sometime. That evening Jenny took me to a dinner party she’d been invited to, which was all jolly good fun - it had been quite a day - meeting up with everyone, and all I wanted now was to sleep away what was left of the night. But on the way home, I happened to catch sight of an early morning news placard - it said that Ventriloquist Dennis Spicer, had been killed in a car crash! It completely ruined what had been a mad, crazy but most enjoyable day. Dennis was only 29 and had just been a hit with the Queen in the Royal Variety Show - at last his career had hit the big time...... I held very fond memories of meeting Dennis on my 17th birthday at the Empire Theatre, where he sang Happy Birthday to me from the stage. We met up afterwards in the office of Manager, Johnny Spitzer, where we had a little chat and he gave me an autographed photograph. This was when I was still working at the Grand Hotel, where Johnny Spitzer lived, and he had arranged the whole thing for me. I never forgot Dennis, he was such a lovely guy - and now he was dead. The crash happened on a notoriously dangerous road just a few miles from where I now live :-(

Jenny drove me to the station to catch my train to Sheffield and my sister Barbara and her husband Ron met me at the other end. First went to see their new baby daughter Susan, who had been born on October 5th, then home. Watched ‘Thank Your Lucky Stars’ on TV in the evening - The Beatles were on. Mum works in a sweet shop in the centre of Sheffield and she said that Craig had come in one day, she told him that her daughter used to be his Fan Club secretary and that we were coming to see his show. He said that we should go round to see him afterwards and he would tell the stage doorman to expect us.......