Monday 8th January 1973

3 days after our first date

I was working in the lab at Bolton General. Lorraine was down at Bolton Royal. I knew it was her birthday and so I thought I would ring her up. I had been thinking about her all weekend and had no means of getting in touch with her. Wanting a private conversation, I used the call box outside the main entrance. She was both surprised and delighted that I had phoned her. I wished her a happy birthday and then she told me that that meant so much to her as that morning Eric had given her a birthday card that said Happy Birthday Dear Husband. I cannot remember how the rest of the conversation went but it was to be life changing for both of us.

Years later, Lorraine told me that this phone call was "the mistake I made". She told me she had fallen for me the first time she saw me, 6 months earlier. Because I had rung her, she knew that I must be interested in her.

We met whenever we could and spent hours on the phone to each other. She never thought I would stay but what she didn't know was that I had fallen for her completely and utterly.