Chapter 4

I wrote my first love letter to Julie during my free period that morning, and scrounged an envelope from the departmental office.

I addressed it to "Darling Princess Julie" and signed it "Your Frog Prince". I had several attempts at drafting it, and then tried to do a fair copy without too many crossings-out.

It was actually very hard work writing a love letter, and I hoped that Julie would realise how hard I had tried.

I also hoped she could read my scrawl - my Dad said that I could have had a career as a doctor or pharmacist, but that my handwriting was just too awful even for that low standard!

I got to the Salad Bar in the Union just before one o'clock. Julie was already waiting for me; I gave her a kiss and we went to get our food.

I held Julie's bag while she sorted out her tray at the self-service counter, and I took the opportunity to slip the envelope into it. We found an empty table and sat down next to each other.

Over our meal, we talked about what she wanted to do on our 'date', and we decided that we would go and have a quiet meal out together at a Greek restaurant of which she had heard good reports.

Then we both had to go off to our afternoon lectures, so with a quick kiss we separated.

"See you later, alligator!"

"In a while, crocodile!"

I found it difficult to concentrate on my lectures, I was distracted by wondering whether or not Julie had found my letter, and if she had liked it.

I got to the house at about 5.45, and rang the top bell.

Sian let me in, kissed me, and said "Julie was really chuffed with your note. You'd better knock on her door on your way up. Vee will be ready in a few minutes."

Julie was actually waiting for me on her landing. She leant over the banisters, and gave me a great big kiss that nearly sent me back down the stairs.

"Thank you, Jon, that was a lovely letter. I didn't find it until my last lecture, and I didn't take very much notice of the lecturer after that!"

"Make sure you mark it, and underline the mistakes in red, so that I can do better next time!"

"Your style needs a bit of work, but the sentiments were just right! Seven out of ten, I think. That gives you plenty of room for improvement."

"Thanks, I'll see what I can do! We'll see you later - we're going to try the jazz club."

"If it's any good, you can always take me there after our meal - I love hearing saxophones and the double bass."

"Fingers crossed, and that's a deal! Be good!"

I went up the last flight and a half of stairs, and into Vee's bedroom.

Vee had changed into a long skirt and a green polo-necked pullover, which really set off her auburn hair.

"Wow, you look absolutely gorgeous, Vee!"

"Flattery will get you everywhere!"

"But you do look great, I mean it!"

"I know - and you make sure you keep telling Julie how good she looks too. She's probably a prettier girl than me, but being a redhead has its advantages sometimes!"

I felt guilty that I had not made more of an effort to dress up for Vee, and apologised. She was fine about it.

"I only put this on because I don't often get a chance to wear it. But make sure you dress up to wine and dine Julie tomorrow; it is a Friday night first date after all!"

With Vee looking so amazing, I enjoyed our stroll into town. We held hands all the way, and she attracted more than a few glances.

We found the jazz club, I paid our admission, and we went downstairs to find ourselves in a noisy room full of tables in alcoves.

We got our drinks at the bar, and found a place where we had a clear view of the piano, reasoning that it probably meant we'd get a good view of the band when they appeared.

We chatted for a while, and I tried very hard to talk to and about Vee, rather than about Julie or Jeff - after all this was Vee's night out with me!

I still wasn't used to being out in public with such a good-looking girl, and got a little tongue-tied on occasion, until Vee put me at my ease by saying that having seduced me already, it was such a relief for her not to be subjected to chat-up lines.

"Most chat-up lines are so crass, such as 'get your coat, darling, you've pulled' and 'take a good look at my face now - you won't be able to see it later when you are sitting on it', and of course, 'what would you like for breakfast, love?' What horrifies me is that some women must fall for them!"

"Oh Vee; there I was thinking that you had fallen for my cosmopolitan smoothness and general debonair appearance, not just because you thought I hadn't the brains to remember a chat-up line let alone the punchline to a joke! I'm deeply hurt that my 'man of the world' persona is so well hidden that you still haven't seen it."

Vee giggled.

"Actually I fell for you because Sian said you were hung like a donkey!"

I spluttered in my beer.