SULKY SERVICE IN KINGSTON
"We spent the whole day trying to get her a dress but, as we both expected, she didn’t get anything. "
F R I D A Y, 1 7 N O V
Got to the Baths Hall for singing practice in good time. After last night Anya was in a SWOON - we gabbled in ecstasy. Lucy is looking forward to Robert’s party on Saturday, she's going with Adrian. If I liked Adrian this would be unbearable.
She and me got the 406 to Kingston. We spent the whole day trying to get her a dress but, as we both expected, she didn’t get anything. Went into Dee’s Place and saw Twinkle’s mother, again. She runs it. Honestly, she looks a fright, she’s short and fat and has back-combed black hair and white lipstick. This combination would look frightful on a 20-year-old, never mind Twinkle’s mother.
I tried on the most gorgeous brown bloomy dress in a rather nice shop, Richard Shops, but it was too expensive - £6-something. Then, in Fifth Avenue, I was about to try this fur coat on when this woman came up and said, “you’re not going to buy that, are you? No - then there’s not much point trying it on, is there?” Some people dedicate their lives to being unpleasant. Andwhen Lucy started looking through the 36” dresses, she said, “that isn’t your size”, as though we were forbidden to look at them!
“We couldn’t bear it anymore, and walked out.”
Had lunch in Bentalls, it was a self-service thing. I asked this girl for Horlicks, and she muttered something about it being in the kitchen. I asked again and she explained, again, saying “I’ve already told you.” A little further along, this man asked what I wanted to drink. I said "Horlicks". So he called out to the girl “Horlicks.” This made her madder. When she finally brought it she turned round muttering “I’ll throw it at you next time." I’m very glad I annoyed her. It serves her right for her sulky service.
Had supper at Lucy’s house and changed into groovy school uniform. Actually we didn’t look at all bad as we had un-pleated skirts on.
“Mrs B drove us to Speech Day (Mr B was too scared to!)”
A crush at the Baths Hall but at last came the time to file in. I couldn’t see Ma or Pa because they were at the back of the Left Balcony. The Chairman spoke first and he gets worse every year; it must be embarrassing for Miss Lack. All our songs went well. Mr Blamey did an amusing report for the Parents Association, and Miss Lack did a report for the year (she was marvellous). Then, suddenly, it was the prizewinners’ turn. I was shaking so much and my teeth were rattling, but the hand-shaking came naturally. I smiled at Lady Ritchie-Calder and took my books ok. It was super fun, really. After that came Lord Ritchie-Calder’s address. The speech was mostly about the gulf between the generations and how the generation born after 1945 is the best there's been because it's reacting against conformity. At the end we sang 'God Save the Queen'.
A bit stupid after Lord R-C saying he's against traditional trappings.
"Twinkle’s mother looks a fright."
