Autumn 1953

Dear Tash, So far this weekend has been a real ‘experience’. Jill and I arrived in Cambridge at about eleven am on Saturday and I waited for Sonia who was of course half an hour late. The town was in an uproar. It was poppy day and everyone was out collecting in fancy dress. Lorries with St Trinian girls, Everest snowmen, in fact everything under the sun.

Sonia has quite a nice room but she hasnt alas (like me) got any fatter, though she swears she eats all day long, as do everyone else! We had lunch in hall which was lousy, and then struggled through the crowds again to see Sonia in a play. On the way I first met Trevor, who was standing on a wall shouting in a very Trevorish fashion, and then I met Jeremy who has invited me to tea with him today. Sonia only had one line — but she was excellent and showed great signs of talent. Then alas we had an enormous tea, and after went to a revue done by St Johns — it was lousy. Then we went with Michael P to a party. He seems very keen on Sonia! At first I felt very lost, but then I got talking to a rather good looking boy called — K!! who must be about twenty three he is in his third year, writes for Varsity, he invited me to lunch today. I also met a boy I had seen at Shirley’s very intelligent and rather ugly called David. He invited me for a drink at 12 today.

I am now at home having left PARADA at 1.30 pm because I was too tired to stay any longer. I went for the drink at David’s & had an enormous gin and French which made me quite dizzy. Then he and K took me to an enormous lunch at an Indian Restaurant during which K said he would be in London on Tuesday & would ring me in the evening and probably take me to Casa Pepe’s and then to a Jazz Club, which sounds very interesting but I have my doubts as to whether he’ll ring me. He has lovely eyes.

I looked all round Cambridge. Its very lovely, there is an immense atmosphere of repose in the vast courtyards and along the river banks with the weeping willows. But I’d hate to be there! Newnham is vile it looks like a gas works and all the men utterly despise Newnham and Girton. I had tea and supper with Jeremy who for the first time I feel quite natural with. He is very nice, but thoroughly debauched, and, so he says repressed! He tried to kiss me, but I wouldn’t have it! Apart from the fact that I am dead tired and horribly fat life is quite pleasant.