The Forgotten Photos

Another beautiful day. Woke up to sun pouring through bedroom window. Still open and birds singing and just lay in bed, all nice and comfy, feeling it was great to be alive – LBC playing light classical music, as they do between 5 & 6 am. The next thing I know, of course, they announced the time as 6:16 am! One mad scrabble, out of bed, fed animals, quick swill, threw some cloths on, pulled cover over bed (thank God for Continental Quilts) and made the 6:52 train with seconds to spare.

Collected the Zoo photos from Boots. Had forgotten about them as I’d left the film to be developed 18 months ago. Explained I’d lost the ticket and they managed to find them. Now I can look at the photos of all my old friends and remember my pleasant year with them. There is a particularly good one of the Gorilla I used to converse with. The one who beat his chest like Tarzan when I said he was a handsome fella! Had a nice Mackerel Salad for lunch followed by Yoghurt, and a nice, pleasant chat with Maxine in the kitchen when we were eating (She had a prawn salad). Much quieter on the work front today but found enough to keep me occupied, in fact, didn’t leave the building until 5:55 as I was Trying to get a telex through to Spain. Hope to be able to get it out first thing tomorrow. Emptied all the bins at Liverpool House and dusted all offices except City Couriers, so only have them to do in the morning before going into work.

Went to Villiers Street and had the `Lunch of The Day’ and a lemon tea. I spotted the little Jew as I stepped inside and took a seat just by the door, as I’d had a fairly pleasant day and didn’t fancy `chatting’ just then, so kept my head down and did the crossword in the paper, not looking up when he left and said “Goodnight”. I can be a horrid bitch at times (If I was a Catholic I’d give myself three Hail Mary’s as penance). Caught the 8:27 train home. Saw a young man waiting on the platform with a dog and as he was smoking, I waited till the train pulled in and then `followed’ him. I have been caught by British Rail before. You can walk all the way to the front of the train – only to find all the `smokers’ are at the back! However, I saw this young man get in the front carriage so carried on and joined him. What an interesting journey. I spoke to him…of course. His dog is called `Fanny’ and has recently had four pups, the last one being homed only two days ago. He stared a new job today, as an Actor, rehearsing a play for children in the 7-11 year age group, being put on by the Covent Garden Community Group and as he didn’t want his dog to pine for her pups he took her along with him to rehearsals and said she behaved so well he is to be allowed to take her every day and also said they might be able to `write her in’ to the script.

She is only 10 months old and is very well behaved. He said he didn’t want Fanny to have any more pups and was considering having her injected twice a year with hormones to prevent her coming on heat, to which I replied that if they gave her too many hormones she might turn `butch’ and what would he do with a `Gay’ dog? He thought it very funny! I thought it rather amusing too; especially as I wasn’t 100% sure that he wasn’t `Gay’ himself! Nevertheless, it was a very pleasant journey home, the train seeming to arrive almost immediately after pulling out from Charing Cross.

I got home just right to catch `Listen to the Band’, and fed the animals in time to the music. They are still slipping and sliding about but take no notice of it now. It is very comical to watch – like watching children playing on a frozen pond – they have the occasional spill and collision but soon pick themselves up. Tipsy looks even more ridiculous than usual of course, but is quite unaware of the fact. Sheba walks like a Dowager Duchess, determined not to lose her dignity in front of the cats! Dust day tomorrow – must remember to put the rubbish out in the morning.

Grace Russ - 18th May 1982