Looking Back: Sheffield Girl - The First 19¾ YEARS

JANUARY 1963

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 hi..

(December 30th 2001 - 38 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 1963. 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, amazing dance 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!! Mr Casolani teasing me about 'hob-nobbing' with the Stars! Feel better now; Richard and his friend David are on the phone quite 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.

Thursday 3rd - 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 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 is discovered that 'mad John' 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 4th - 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. (Well it's like this, Rafi, I like you, but don't trust you, whereas I like Aaron, and he seems to be just a little more trustworthy...) 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!!)

Continued...

Copyright © Freda Brown.