The Blacksmith’s Daughter by Fay Berry 2013 © - Chapter 38 - 1957 07 17 - Fay Berry

The Blacksmith’s Daughter – Chapter 38

Dad was very keen to know about the latest “developments” between Jeff and me. He had become very fond of Jeff and I think he had it in mind that Jeff was a possibility for a future son-in-law.

At work Mr Barrow was “nit-picking” and giving me some grief. However, I noticed that if he had a deadline of his own to meet he was happy to pile on the overtime with little consideration of the plans Joan and I might have for the evening.

Ken Niejalke was in town and I took a long ride to where he was staying to keep him in touch with young folk activities. Instead of going to the Softball picnic a few of us stayed at the Temple and played table-tennis and then some softball in the backyard of the Temple.

I was delighted to hear about Fred Marley from New Zealand’s engagement to Gwen James and the way in which that engagement had come about was a source of amusement to me.

Mr & Mrs Ide were baptised to apparently the great amusement of their daughter Marilyn who sat and giggled throughout their baptism. (Interestingly, Marilyn eventually was baptised herself, so somewhere along the line her thinking changed).

I decided to have it out with Mr Barrow to see if we could come to some sort of satisfactory compromise about what I could do during slack periods at work. Did he want me to sit and twiddle my thumbs, could I read a book, or could I type up my diary? His response would help me to decide whether I would stay at The News or work in my Dad’s business.

We had the “Conference” night at the Woodville Hall, some talks and then some slides and finally a social with games and activities. “Musical Hearts” became a competition between Phyl Matthews and John Knowles and Jeff Berry and me, which to my satisfaction, we won (against them) but tied in the actual finale. Going home proved to be quite a big problem for me. Both Fred Hackett and Lew Osborne looked as though they were going to ask to take me home and I didn’t want to upset Fred or insult Lew, again! I asked Eric Grogan to help me out and he walked me to the bus stop. There Jeff in a series of swift moves got everyone sorted out for transport leaving only him and me to go home together by bus. At home, Jeff came in and we sat together in the lounge until very late. Beth was awake when I went to bed and was very unhappy with me for spending such a long time in the lounge with Jeff. She was more than angry with me, she was “disgusted” with me and I would be in trouble big with my brother Charles, in due course. Charles and Beth both felt that Mum and Dad were way to “soft” on me and that I needed their discipline.

(It is now the year 2014 when I write the above and I remember the confusion I felt in those far off days. I was not trying to “flirt” with all the boys. I was obviously an attractive girl, outgoing and friendly, or I would not have had this problem in the first place, but I was made by my brother to feel like some sort of a “predator,” dangerous to young men such as Fred Hackett. Even now, after all these years, I feel a certain amount of irritation, if not anger, at my brother Charles and his constant interference in my life, from when I was a very little girl, right up until he left home at the end of 1957. Looking back I think he was the weird one, not me. I think it was all about his “honor,” not mine. He didn’t want his silly, friendly young sister to “shame” him. That is what I think was behind it all.

It was rather a coincidence today that I listened to a TED talk about Malala the little Pakistani girl who was shot in the face because she was advocating that girls be permitted to have an education in her country. Although in Adelaide we were not a “Patriarchal” society, I think my brother’s views on how things “should be” would probably have fitted in with some of Pakistan’s “patriarchal” shame and honor culture. I think It is very worthwhile for Westerners like you and me to understand “shame and honor” as it is practiced in such societies.)

19570717 Letter from Lyn Spencer

19570717 Wednesday – The work was really piled up today, the report, the monthly figures, three circulars and a ton of other things. I felt slightly like “a bear with a sore head” and didn’t feel like talking to anyone. Naturally, everyone chose today to get me to do all the things they’ve been saving up for me to do. Anyway, enough of work.

When I arrived home dinner wasn’t quite ready so I went in and talked to Mum for a while. Then Grantley Jolly came in and asked if “the Story of the Bible” labels were ready. I said they were, but when I went into the lounge to get them, I found that Charlie still had some of his to do. Grantley Jolly said it would be all right if they were finished by tomorrow night, so he left then. Then Mum asked me to go up the street to get some milk and just as I was going out the door, Fred Hackett walked in. He said “Hello,” and asked Mum if he could have a cup of tea to drink with his sandwiches before he went back to work. Mum said he could and I went up to get the milk. I was wondering what Charles and Beth would say when they came home and found Fred here.They’d probably think that he had come there because of me. After I had got the milk, Mum called me in to have my dinner but I went into the lounge and typed some labels. When Beth and Charles came in I went in to dinner with them. By this time it was getting rather late and Fred had to go. He stayed for a little while longer and then left. I can see history repeating itself. I spend months dodging him and now it looks like I will have to do it all again. I don’t know how I am supposed to be friendly to him without giving him ideas and now that Fred is interested in the Truth, it’s extra hard, particularly as he is so lonely.

After the dishes I went into the lounge and finished the labels and then continued with “The Events Subsequent to Christ’s return,” I’m almost beginning to give up hope of finishing the subject before the exam. I went into Charlie and asked him if he could give me some clues on how to cover a subject briefly, whilst still retaining the essentials information. He showed me how he went about it and helped me quite a lot, but it’s still going to be a battle. He also gave me his notes and I started going through them. He’s able to take much briefer notes than me and I think I’ll be able to use his better than mine. We shall see anyway. I don’t know why, but when I am studying I become conscious of how short time is and I get really nervy and jumpy, and by the time I go to bed, I find it hard to force myself to relax so that I can go to sleep.

Dad is terribly keen to know all about the “latest developments” between Jeff and Fay. I told him of my bad behavior last night and that I had decided to forget Jeff until such time as I know more about him and know whether I really like him or not. Probably, being me, I only like him because he’s so much in demand from all the other girls. I guess I’m too young to know my own mind, but God Willing, we shall see in good time.

19570718 Letter from Sheila Bailey

19570718 Thursday – Another circular today, plus the figures. I went madly and waded through my work during the morning and didn’t even have time to stop for morning tea. Then at about half past 11 when the paper came in, I decided to stop for a couple of minutes and read the front page. Of course, Mr Barrow came in, looked at me and then went in to Joan and told her to tell me that we couldn’t afford to have me wasting time. She came out and told me not to read the paper and was I mad. I work like mad and then he thinks I’m not working just because I stop for a minute to read the front page. He doesn’t want a secretary, he wants a slave! I asked Joan, “Why, when, he wants to complain, why doesn’t he complain to me?” Joan just shrugged, with her nose elevated a little as she does when she has to pass on any critical messages to me. I said, “Could you please tell KB that it was my morning tea break I had been having.” Joan said, “She might.” Grrrr

This afternoon, we got the stencil done and then I went madly into doing the circulars. By 5.00 pm we still hadn’t finished and Mr Barrow decided it had to be done that night. We had to ring up about six companies to find the names of their General Managers so that we could address the letters properly. For one company, I had the night watchman chasing around the building trying to find out the General Manager’s initials. At a quarter to six, they were all finally finished and we could go home. No overtime, of course!! Still who cares, I’m just still mad at KB for telling me off earlier in the day. After dinner, I went into the lounge to study and I progressed quite well this evening. I wonder if I will finish in time for the exams. I do hope so. Beth and I had a wrestle for a while this evening. She’s so weak! It’s as easy as anything to keep her under. I think I must have been meant to be a boy. I’m as strong as an ox and stronger than most girls I know, all 5 ft 5” and 9 stone 4 lbs of me.

I have to get up early tomorrow to get to work by eight because Bob Briton-Jones has a used car advertisement for me to type, groan. I asked Bill Golly today if he would like to come to the Softball picnic with me on Saturday. He’s going to let me know tomorrow. Hope he gets on all right. It would be great if he could come.

19570719 Friday – In the lunch hour today, Mr Barrow saw me typing my diary again. He looked at it then started to go into his office. Then he turned back and came up to me and said, “What’s that you’re typing?” I pulled my diary out of my tyepwriter because I didn’t want him reading it.” He said, “Do you type that all your lunch hour?” I said that I did. He said, “When do you start your lunch hour?” I said that I started my lunch hour at 12.30. He looked at the clock and noted that it was still my lunch hour. He went out then and I knew what he had been thinking. He was remembering yesterday, when he had come in at about 2 o’clock and I had been reading the paper. He’s not too happy. I’ll have to do something about it. When I get an opportunity I guess I’ll have to explain things to him. Ask him whether he would like me to report to him when it is my lunch hour and tell him that I will be typing my diary for half an hour. I know that I work more than the hours I am supposed to work. Trouble is when it is slack it is so boring if I can’t do “something,” to pass the time.

19570719 Letter from Bruce Philp

19570720 Saturday – When a girl is so young (as I am) it’s awfully hard to know her own mind, but I know this much, Jeff Berry’s beginning to get under my skin. Still, first things first. I took my softball bat to work today just in case the weather fined up and the crowd decided to go to Gum’s oval for the softball afternoon. When I arrived at work I looked up the name Niejalke in the phone book and there was only one listing under that name. I rang the number and asked them if they had a boy named Ken staying with then. They did. The woman who answered the phone told me that this phone number was for their shop and she wouldn’t be seeing Ken until after 12.00 noon. I told her that the Young Folk would be meeting at the railway station at 12, so that would be too late. I asked her home address and she told me it was 2 Pepper Street, Magill. I thanked her and then hung up. Mr. Bill B.J came in. I asked him if I could have half an hour off this morning. He said I could take it now if I liked. I liked! I got on my bike and rode madly because I knew I’d be going to get up to the top of the Magill Road and back in half an hour. It was certainly some ride but at last I arrived there and found No. 2. I went inside and asked if Ken Niejalke was home. He was. I told him about the crowd and the softball afternoon, and he said he’d be there. He thanked me for coming then I left again in a horrible hurry, and tore down Magill Road like a house afire.

When I arrived at the bottom of North Terrace, or top, whichever way you choose to look at it, it started to pour with rain and I got drenched. I took shelter in a doorway for a while, but then decided to go on. I arrived back at work at about a quarter past 10. It had taken me 3/4 of an hour. Just as I arrived, the phone rang and Mr Briton-Jones spoke and told me he was at the Minister for Education’s home, Mr Baden Pattinson , and he wanted to know what you had to use to sign a stencil. I told him it was one of those pen things that had a ball point at one end but no ink. He hung up. That was so lucky. I had just arrived back at work in time. I was soaked to the skin so I got out the two radiators and took off my jumper and shoes and put them up to dry. I had just about finished drying off when Mr BJ arrived back. I asked him about Mr Baden Pattinson and how he had got on with him. He told me that when he had arrived at his place the fellow was still in his pyjamas and then he didn’t know what to use to sign the stencil. I had a look at the stencil and evidently Baden Pattinson hadn’t pressed hard enough because his signature hadn’t come through the stencil properly. I got to work on it with a pin, so that at least the ink will come through even though it will look as though he’s signed it with a pin!

At 12 I was still working and Bill Golly came to the door and asked about the Softball picnic this afternoon. I told him I’d be there shortly and he went upstairs to get some lunch. When I was ready I went upstairs and called him but his friend couldn’t come and Bill was a bit dubious about coming without him. He walked up to the station with me and wouldn’t go back on his word, but I could see he wasn’t too happy about leaving Trevor behind. There were about six of the young people there and I introduced Billy to them. Then I asked Bill if he would rather stay behind. He said that he would because he hated going anywhere without his friend Trevor. I asked him to go back and try to persuade Trevor to come and to come back and let me know. He tore off.

Then Jeff Berry appeared from somewhere. I said, “Hello,” to him. Then a bit later, Ken Niejalke came up and I introduced him around. He had to make a phone call to my mother to let her know that his father wouldn’t be coming to our place and I had to ring Glennis Lawrey to let her know as well that Ken had arrived. We both went to the phone box together. Then we walked down to his car and got in and then drove up to the corner. Everyone but Jeff and Marg Watson had gone so we gave them a lift to the Temple. We weren’t going to the picnic we were staying for the afternoon at the Temple. Wonder how it is that Jeff is escorting Margaret this afternoon? Marg told me that Fred Marley and Gwen James were engaged and I just about fainted with shock. Quick work what? It is great news though. I can’t help remembering how that romance began. We were at the conference and we were all eating lunch or dinner it might have been. Suddenly Fred Marley stood up, and he has this big loud voice and he said he had an announcement to make. He said that he came from New Zealand and he had come to the conference looking for a wife. He spoke a bit about where he lived and what life was like there, and then he said if there was a girl who was interested in marrying him would she come and see him after lunch!!!!!! Well, after lunch Gwen James spoke to him and that wasthat. She agreed to marry him! Everyone was absolutely amazed.

When we arrived at the Temple we all got out and went around to the back and started setting up the tables and moving chairs etc. Jeff engaged me in a game of table tennis and horror of horrors, he won. I decided I’d have to beat him next time. I certainly wasn’t playing as good as last week. After that, I went outside and found Clem Wigzell with my bat. Then Lew went to get a softball and we started playing in the yard. I was hitting pretty well, that is, until Jeff came out and as usual, he distracted me somewhat and I sent one over the fence. I just stood there, waiting for someone else to get it and he told me to go and get it myself. I started off and he followed me and we went together. Jeff is still seeking me out in an under-cover sort of way. I don’t know whether I’m privileged or whether he has just got that sort of thing down to a fine art. I bet no one else suspects anything. But, until he comes out from under cover hell be on his own. He either goes with me openly or not at all. In fact, I think even if he starts to be open, I think I’ll make it “not at all.”

That reminds me, when we first arrived at the Temple, I went in to get the keys and Jeff opened the door. I then went into the ladies cloakroom but he called me and asked me where the keys went. As if he didn’t know. I explained to him but he pretended not to understand so I had to go and put them away. He came too, however, “To learn where they went.” As we walked back, he walked very close to me and said,”I can see I should go home now and bury my head into a book or something.” Jeff is a terrible flirt. He wants all the fun of flirting with me but none of the responsibility. He was just letting me know that my presence had an effect on him. The same effect I suppose as all the members of his harem have on him. If I didn’t know that he loved the Truth I think I’d despise him. He’d better watch it too, the girls are beginning to get fed up with him, they are waking up at last.

Now where was I, Oh, we played softball for most of the afternoon with Jeff as usual demonstrating that softball was another thing he could do quite well if he felt like it. The whole afternoon he kept looking over at me when no one was looking and giving me the “challenge” look he is so good at giving. He ought to patent it. Wow I’m getting quite “catty.” Charlie’s right though, it’s not the way for a brother to behave. Still I guess he’ll learn. If only he’d show us the natural Jeff, the real Jeff, the one I believe Sister Pascoe sees. She adores him. I reckon I might like him better if he did. I had another game of table tennis with Jeff but this time I beat him. Thank goodness. I’ll beat him every other time too. I’ll not lose to him again. We had a few sets of mixed doubles then, Jeff and I and Glennis and Ken Pascoe. Then Jeff left – with Margaret Watson. Then I left and told Ken and the twins to follow when they felt like it.

By the time I got home I felt miserable again. Mr and Mrs Lawrey arrived afterthat and then Ken and the twins. We all went into the lounge and talked for most of the evening. Mum told me afterwards that Mrs Lawrey says that the twins tend to be bit competitive with each other and also that Dawn likes Jeff a lot and invited him home to their place one night for dinner and “to study the Bible.” Jeff however refused the invitation and said that he wouldn’t be able to come during the next few weeks but will let her know when he can manage it. During the evening Dawn took every opportunity to talk about Jeff but I moved the conversation away to something else if I could. Jeff will have to watch out, he’s going to have a lot of rebuffed girls out for his blood sooner or later if he continues as he is. I’ll have to be careful that I don’t find myself doing the same sort of thing myself. Ken Niejalke made arrangements to come to our place for dinner tomorrow night and the twins made arrangements for him to go to their place for lunch.

1957071 Sunday – This morning, Beth and I were both of us loathe to get up and stayed in bed talking for a while, mainly about the “trials and tribulations of two poor young girls trying to preach the Truth at work.” Then we changed the subject to “Trials and tribulations for one poor young girl who is a flirt who is keen on a boy who is also a flirt.” I didn’t choose that description, of course, Beth did. Then the phone rang and someone who said he was a “member of the Opposition” spoke to my mother and informed her that for the sake of convenience it would be a good idea if a certain young brother didn’t come to Sunday school with us, but rather, accompanied a brother from Melbourne to Woodville to show him the way. This Melbournite would drive the girls (whose place he was at for lunch) to Jeff’s place, then drop the girls at Cumberland and then take Jeff to Woodville. Of course, the poor young girl whose “trials and tribulations” had been under discussion, groaned at that because she knew that she would not be in contact with her heart throb for another day. However, she bore up bravely and did not quibble and decided to let things take their course.

After the morning meeting I waited for an opportunity to speak to Jeff. I said, “Jeff, Ken Niejalke will be picking you up today and taking you to Woodville so that you can show him the way. He’s at the Lawreys for lunch.” Jeff didn’t look too pleased and said “Where is he going to pick me up?” and “What time?” and “What about the Lawreys, I suppose they’ll come too?” He fired questions at me and I told him I simply didn’t know because I hadn’t got anything to do with it. He said he’d ring the Lawreys up. Then he said, “That means I don’t come in the car with you and I won’t see you today?” I said, “That’s right, you won’t, will you?” He said goodbye.

We went to pick up Bill Golly this afternoon but were told that he was at his Aunty’s place who was ill, but would probably arrive on time himself. We were late as usual and Ken and Jeff had already arrived. Bob Martin led the class and it was a good class. You could see he was expecting everyone to do their best to trip him up and no one did. After Sunday School I found out that Ken and Don McColl had stayed at the same boarding house in Melbourne and they knew each other well. That was a good thing because it would help Ken a lot if he knew someone. He said he was very impressed with the class this afternoon. Beth and Charles took Mum home in their car, but I came home with Ken and Jeff. Ken and I talked about the Messiah in Melbourne and I said that I would be staying with the McKinlays in Melbourne and he told me that their new home was a mansion.

When Jeff said goodbye, he said, “I’ll see you another time Ken,” then as an after thought he looked at me and said, “I’ll be seeing you again too, Miss O’Connor.” I said, “Goodbye Mr Berry.” Ken laughed and said “Listen to them.” Then after Jeff had gone he said,”you are on a good thing there.” I laughed at him. I went to Enfield this evening and my brother Charles was the speaker. He was fabulous, I thought. Everyone agreed that they had never heard the subject he spoke on explained so lucidly and well. His subject was “Death, the destroyer of mankind, destroyed in Christ.” I felt quite proud of my brother. Uncle Perce’s comment to dad was, “The lad did a good job.” Dad was just about busting with pleasure and pride.

I felt awfully miserable tonight. This “going to where I feel I will get the best benefit” each Sunday night, regardless of where Jeff goes, is getting me down a bit. Al through the week I look forward to seeing him on Sunday and then when Sunday comes, I hardly set eyes on him because I choose to go where he isn’t.

19570722 Letter from Bruce Philp

19570722 Monday – This morning I was very dubious about whether I would say anything to Mr Barrow about my doing my own work in working hours, but when I got to work I decided that I would say something. At lunch time when Joan had gone out, I went into Mr Barrow’s office and asked him if I could speak to him. He went to his desk and sat down and pulled up a chair in a very businesslike way and asked me what I wanted to say. I told him that I had noticed that he didn’t like me doing my own work in his time. Before I could complete my thought, he was onto that theme, about doing things behind his back etc. After he had his say, I started up again and told him that I never started on my own work without having finished his first and that I got more work done that way. He eventually said that he’d leave it up to me. He would trust that I would ALWAYS complete his work before starting anything of mine. He agreed that he would rather me do typing than read a book. He felt it important that I “looked busy” all the time in case his superiors thought that the Advertising Department was slack. When I left his office I felt very jubilant. That means I can do my own work, freely and openly, just so long as his work is finished.

This evening it was Mrs Ide’s baptism, Marilyn’s Mum. Mum and I went to it. When we arrived at the Temple, Mum and I sat down in about the third row from the back. We sat and talked for a while then I got up and went outside. I talked to Fay Wigzell and then came back in with her, and there sitting in front of Mum was Jeff and Sister Pascoe. I sat down with Mum, directly behind Jeff. Guess he expected it to give me a great thrill, sitting behind him all evening. Uncle Perce came in late as usual and sat next to Jeff. Then the evening Started. Uncle Perce spoke and then they were baptised. I don’t think the significance of Baptism has touched Marilyn Ide yet, because she was having quite a job to control herself and to stop herself from laughing. Alan cheek was jabbing her in the ribs to try and stop her. It wasn’t very noticeable except to me because I was sitting behind her. After the meeting we all went up and congratulated the two and gave them our best wishes. At least Jeff went first and I stopped and talked to Sister Pascoe for a while. Then Jeff returned and came up to us. I said,”And how are you, Mr Berry?” He looked at me with a half grin and beyond me to sister Pascoe. He said,”Is Fay holding you up and keeping you from your nice warm fire?” He said it with such a look that I guessed that Sister Pascoe knows all about the Saturday night that Jeff took me home. She must have got it out of him some how. At any rate he seems to be making no effort to hide things from her.

I made an exit then, and went up to the Ides and from there I went out into the porch and talked with Keith Noble. I asked Eric Grogan if he could give me a lift out to the Wigzell’s place for the supper they were having for the Ides. Jeff had made it quite obvious that he wasn’t going, but I won’t miss him. I walked out the front with Keith and he told me his young brother will be coming to Sunday School on Sunday. Evidently the whole family had been impressed by the young people at Keith’s 21st. The party they had for people who were not CDs on the Friday night convinced them that our young people are something out of the ordinary. Keith thanked me for the two books I gave him. He said he had been given 16 books altogether.

I sat next to Eric Grogan in the car with Wendy what-ever-her-name-is-with-the-long-black hair next to me. I told Eric that one day in about a year’s time, I’d tell him about the finish of the evening of our conspiracy. He of course was curious and wanted to know tonight. I refused to tell him though. When we got there, Keith and Sister Woods had arrived and we teased them a bit about coming together. Then Eric Grogan and Wendy Jolly and myself dawdled about a bit waiting for the Wigzells to arrive. When they did, we went inside and took our coats off and went from there into the lounge. All the girls were too shy to come in at first and I seemed to be the only girl among about two dozen men. Or as they expressed in the old saying, “the thorn among all the roses.” Eventually they all came in and sat down. Uncle Perce was holding court in a corner and naturally, I joined that corner. Then they started to sing hymns and we sang until supper was announced. Then we adjourned to the dining room. They had a fabulous supper. Cleon spoke for a while and welcomed the Ides into the brotherhood. Sometimes I call them “ The Ides of March.” Then my cousin, Allan Dangerfield spoke and then Frank Russell. After that, we finished supper and I talked with Keith and Peter Mansfield for a while. Then I heard music coming from the lounge and so I went to that room. Marilyn Ide was playing and she plays beautifully. Fred Hackett made towards me as though to ask to take me home so I made in the other direction and asked Eric if he could give me a lift to the bus stop. He said he’d take me into town which he did and I arrived home at about half past 11. I’m tired.

19570723 Letter from Jimmy Green

19570724 Letter from Barrie Spencer

19570724 Letter from Bruce and Elaine Philp

19570724 Letter to Barrie Spencer

19570724 Wednesday – This morning, after having slaved so hard yesterday, I didn’t have much to do today. Just a few routine jobs and one page of figures for the report. Then it started again. Joan came out and told me that Mr Barrow had found another mistake in the report. I just about threw my books in the rubbish tin in disgust. How is it that just after I ask a favor from him and tell him about my working in work’s hours, something like this happens. It makes me so mad. I asked what the error was and Joan showed me. It was in the figures of about four weeks ago and I worked it out and it turned out that that it had been Joan’s week to do the report. She told Mr Barrow that it had been her fault and not mine and he was mad at her for the error and then and mad at me for “not being in the wrong.” Why he must apportion “blame” for everything I really don’t know. He has two really good secretaries in me and Joan and we both do our best for him but he simply doesn’t appreciate us. He’s a slave driver that man, and grumpy because of his gout. He’s probably got a bad liver as well, because he’s definitely “liverish.” That incident started me thinking though. He is obviously against me doing my own work in work time even when my ordinary work is up to date. He must have gone through the report for ages to find that error. In other words, he was out to trip me up. I thought about it for a while and came to the conclusion that I’d have to do something about it. Maybe I should only do my own work in my lunch hour and twiddle my thumbs during work hours when I have finished my work.

I considered the idea of working for Dad. There wouldn’t be that much work with him and I would be able to do my own work during the day as well and not have to stay up at night getting it all done. It sounded good, but then I weighed up what I would lose. I’d hate leave to the News. I thought about it for a long time, discussed it with Joan and then Mr Briton Jones. He said he didn’t want to see me leave but when I asked for his “unbiased opinion,” he told me that for what I wanted to do, all the Bible work I wanted to do, I might be wise to work for my Dad. There remained but one thing, Dad! I rang him up and told him that if I could, I’d like to work for him. I couldn’t speak to him properly then because of his secretary being there, but he told me he’d talk to me about it when I got home that evening. I finished all my work this morning and then Mr Barrow went out and for once we could relax. Mr Briton-Jones wasn’t feeling much like work and I was tired out, so for a while we just sat talking and laughing, discussing Mr Barrow and Joan’s coming holidays and my leaving. That is, if I decided to leave. I won’t leave until Joan has had her holidays because it wouldn’t be fair on her. Still, we shall see.

When I got home, I found a letter addressed to “Miss Fay O’Connor, World Traveller, 118 etc. I guessed it would have to be a letter from Bruce Philp. It was. He had written to let me know that he would be doing something about the Conference Forum evening. So that should be all right. He said he would get them put on the “Story” list. There was also a note from Keith Noble thanking me for my present to him and for coming to his party. I decided I’d better write to his parents and thank them. I don’t think it is too late. I wrote to Barrie too, because Mum was quite mad at me for leaving it so late. It seems that Maynard was quite pleased with the idea of having me working for Dad, because,so he told Mum, “I can type like one thing.” He saw me typing with my typewriter “bouncing around on my lap,” and because I didn’t make many errors he thought it was pretty good. Little does he know that I type so much that I get careless and make more errors really. I’ll have to do something soon about Mum. She will talk when I’m in there trying to study and I could get twice as much work done if she (or should I say, we) didn’t talk. I spoke to Beth about it and she thought that if it was my presence in the lounge that was making Mum try and study, then she thought I’d just have to put up with it. I guess she’s right.

19570725 Thursday – This morning, after a good night’s sleep, I still found that I was determined to leave my job at The News and work with my father. I wish I didn’t have to wait until August but I will, because Joan will never get her holidays otherwise. It will be pleasant to work for someone who won’t be forever sitting on my back, wondering what I’m typing.

19570727 Saturday – I had my hair cut at 8.15 and then spent the rest of the morning studying. I marked quite a bit of “The Events Subsequent to Christ’s Return,” then after lunch, I packed up a few books and went to table tennis. I didn’t do very much though because I spent the afternoon playing table tennis and basketball. I tagged Keith Noble most of the time in the basketball and at times, he got quite annoyed, because he couldn’t get free of me. I’ll have to be wary of Brian Wigzell or I’ll have another bundle of strife on my hands. I’ll be sitting down and before I know it, he ‘ll have caught hold of my hand, or have his arm around me. He pretends that he is only joking, but it’s quite obvious that if I let him, he’d stop joking. Just before I left, he got on my bike. I told him to get off, which he did, but when I got on again, he got on the seat and put his arms around my waist again. It was quite obvious to Keith Noble what was going on, but I couldn’t get free. It was young folks this evening and David Wauchope spoke. His subject was “Christianity over the first three centuries.” Ken Steward spoke next. Afterwards I moved around and spoke to most of the people there. Jeff got onto David Wauchope and stayed there talking to him for most of the evening. Wendy Jolly asked if she could go home with me tonight. I said, “Yes.”

I had been talking to Glennis for a while about the letter I had got from Jimmy Green and about what he had written about her sister Dawn. Dawn at the moment seems to be a little bit off balance. She tends to throw herself at a boy and if she happens to get him, she then throws him over almost immediately without even a thank-you-very-much-for-your-company. Glennis left me for a minute and asked me to wait for her. There weren’t many left in the hall. I was just standing there, swinging my purse and humming to myself when I happened to glance over at Jeff. He was talking to David still and had his foot on a chair and was leaning on his elbow and looking straight across at me. I had the feeling he had been looking at me for some time. I know that if he did like me he would always put The Truth first. I went up to the door to wait for Glennis and next minute, Jeff was at my side. He asked me if I had taken notes of the last Abraham Class. I said that I had. He then asked me if I would give him my notes so that he could knock something up out of them. I told him I’d type him a copy but he told me not to go to any trouble. I said I had to do them anyway and I’d give him a copy and he could make all the corrections and improvements he liked. He grinned and said that he should be able to make them in about an hour or so. See, we are always at it. Sarcasm laid on. I asked him if he had started marking up on the Sunday School class yet and he said in a superior voice that he was still “accumulating information.” Sometimes I think that is all that he does, “accumulate information.”

Fred Hackett came in then and I talked to him for a while. Lew came up and took him over so he was all right. Everyone started to sit down then and I decided I would too. I sat down the front with the other girls. Lew and Fred were behind me and they were acting the fool and talking loudly. Fred was making it quite obvious to everyone round that he had been speaking to me over the phone the other day and I could see Lew wasn’t too happy about the things he was saying. Then Keith Noble came in and sat behind me with Lew and Fred. I decided to move away from them all and so I went and sat up the back again and talked with Eric Grogan and Judy Vinall. Jeff came in then and sat down the front where I had been siting previously.

The evening started and Des Manser and Rob spoke on various aspects of the Youth Conference and then the screen was put up for the slides. Jeff Berry got up and began moving chairs. Then a crowd of us at the back decided to stand up because we couldn’t see properly. In the general confusion, Jeff ended up standing by me, accidentally? I wonder. The slides were quite good. I was grateful that I didn’t feature in these slides because I didn’t kick around at the Conference with the Adelaide crowd. I ended up giving a description of all the slides because I knew most people’s names, and others didn’t. After they were finished we all moved to the sides of the hall for the social part of the evening.

The first game was “Under the arches.” I’m not sure whether I was imagining things or not, but Jeff seemed to be using his rather “sick” sense of humor again. He came straight across the hall towards me looking right into my eyes, but when he was almost in front of me he veered to the right and chose someone else a little further up from me. I was so angry because I had been so sure he was going to choose me for his partner that I was just about to stand up and if I had and then he had veered away I would have been so humiliated. I absolutely hated him right then. Then Keith Noble came up and asked me to partner him and we started off. We got out half way through. That game is so hectic! They had “nursery rhymes” and other games of the same kind. Our group won “Nursery Rhymes.” Then they had “Push the business on,” and as usual I just about got killed. Des Manser had me for his partner in “musical bobs,” also a killer of a game. We got up to the last few but then we got out.

The next game was “Musical Hearts,” ladies’ choice. All the girls sat there shyly, no one game enough to getup. I decided to break the ice. I intended to do what Jeff had done, walk straight toward him and then veer away and choose someone else. When I got near him, stupid girl that I am, I “forgot” to veer away. Instead, I went up to him and said, “How are your feet feeling tonight?” He said, “They’re feeling fine and I think they can stand up to any punishment you can give them.” No other girls had made a move yet and we were the only couple on the floor. Jeff said, “Looks as though we’ve won this game before it’s even started.” Then gradually, a few couples stood up and then more, including John Knowles and Phyllis Matthews. From the start we declared war on John and Phyl. As far as we were concerned the contest was between us and them. Jeff is terribly quick and has good balance. Elaine Frankham was playing the piano and Wendy Jolly was turning the pages of the music. As we passed them, Jeff put his cheek against mine and Elaine’s smile widened and Wendy’s eyes went glassy. Jeff can be so unkind, he knows that both girls like him.

Phyl and John were still in and there were only a few others on the floor. Then it was on with a vengeance. At last it was whittled down to five couples, then three. Finally John and Phyl got out. We rejoiced. Then it was on again. They put one piece of paper in the middle and we had to make a rush for the paper when the music stopped. There was a mad scramble and we all arrived there at once, Jeff and I got the paper and stood on it, but Erig Grogan pronounced it a draw. Jeff looked over triumphantly at John and John went through the motions of raising his hat to us and bowing. Then it was time for supper. Eric Grogan called me then and I went and sat with him on the stage. We went through the details of the Meditation period which was to follow supper, then I went around giving out the words. Fred called me then and I guessed he was going to ask to take me home. I didn’t want to go home with him, so I said I was in a hurry but would see him soon. Then I gave out some more copies and then decided to scoot out the back before Fred could get onto me. Then Lew came barging across the room with his usual,”Fay, I want to speak to you.” I said “Don’t you dare ask me to go home with you!” He looked taken aback and asked me how I knew he was going to ask to take me home. I told him I just guessed (from previous experience). Then he asked me, “Why won’t you come home with me?” and I said, “Because I don’t feel like it, that’s all.”

Then I went across the room and happened to pass by Fred. He said,”Fay, how are you…” and before he could go any further I said, “Just a moment I have to speak to Eric Grogan.” I tore across to Eric and said, “Eric, about that music…. Eric, help me will you, quickly, come out the back please!” Eric quickly caught on that something was up and followed me out the back and I told him that Fred looked as though he was going to ask me home and I didn’t want to have to say “No” to him. But if I did go home with him I would be in trouble with Beth and Charles. I said I didn’t want to hurt him by refusing him either, particularly as he is showing such interest in the Truth. Eric told me to tell Fred if he did ask to take me home, that I was going home with him. I thanked him and went in to face the inevitable. Fred came up and said, “How are you getting home tonight.” I said, “Oh, Eric Grogan’s taking me home, Fred, thanks very much.” He looked a bit miserable and mumbled something about wondering if there was anyone else who would like a ride home. I said that I was sure I could find someone who would like to go with him and so I went over to the Lawrey twins and asked them if they wanted a ride. They did. That was such a relief, I felt that I could breathe again.

I went outside then and talked to Eric again. Jeff and Keith and Ken Pascoe and John Wilson were talking together nearby. Then Keith Noble said goodbye and left and the others just stood talking. They seemed to be looking in my direction and I had the feeling they were talking about me. This was confirmed when John said something about Jeff being “too old for me.” I wondered if Jeff was considering asking me home, but then I said, “What are you looking at Jeff.” He replied, “At you.” Then he turned and left. Lew was being very suspicious of me. He obviously didn’t believe that I had a ride home with Eric and he was hanging around, cleaning and re-cleaning his windscreen so he could wait to see what happened. I whispered to Eric that I couldn’t wait much longer, but I also couldn’t leave while Lew was there, so Eric said, “I’ll come to the bus stop with you and that will fix it.” He did and just as we were approaching the bus stop I saw that Jeff and Ken Pascoe and John Knowles were there and also a crowd of girls. I slipped my arm through Eric’s and we walked up to the bus stop arm in arm. Jeff turned and saw us and said, “Hey, look at this. Hey, cut that out, Eric, she’s too young for you.” When we came up to them Jeff pushed Eric out of the way and put his arm through mine and told Eric he’d look after me from here. I thanked Eric for his help. Then Eric said goodbye and walked back towards the hall. Then Jeff turned to me and asked me “Why didn’t you tell me you had noone to go home with?” and I said, “Well you didn’t ask, did you.”

At that moment Des Manser drove up in his father’s Mainline and asked if anyone wanted a ride. I was nearest his car and so I moved toward it, but Jeff caught hold of my arm and yanked me back. Then he called out, “Girls first,” and started hurrying all the girls into the front of the car. One girl tried to get in but there was barely room for her, so Jeff jumped forward and literally pushed her in and then slammed the door before she could fall out. Then he ushered the remaining young people into the back of the van, including Ken Pasoce and John Wilson. When they were in, they called out,”There’s room for you Jeff and then they noticed that he had his arm through mine and they said, “Oh, he’s occupied.” And “don’t be late home, Jeff, remember the curfew is 12.00 midnight.” Jeff just smiled.

Wow, Jeff is certainly good at arranging things to suit himself. A bus came up and we both got in. I sat down and Jeff bought us tickets. We talked for a while about a number of subjects, Sunday School, my brother Graham and what he is up to, When we got into town we both got out. Jeff took my hand and we walked along together holding hands. We were still talking about my brother Graham, when “speak of the devil,” there he was. Graham had been to a party and was on his way home. He talked to us about that for a while and when the bus came Graham sat down at the back and Jeff and I sat down the front. When we got out at my place, Jeff walked me up to the door and then, without intending to, I invited him in.

When I put the light on in the lounge I found that it was in a terrible state. Charlie had been studying and had left books everywhere and Beth had been sewing and there were materials all around the room. Jeff thought it was a great joke. He looked at a few of the books, one of which was written by someone called Berry. Jeff said, “Naturally.” I lit the fire in the grate and then we sat down on the lounge and he put his arm around me and kissed me. We talked about our friendship and whether it should turn into a relationship. Neither of us really knew if we were ready for that sort of commitment. At 12 o’clock, Jeff stood up and started to leave, then turned back and kissed me again. We were getting exactly nowhere. We talked some more. When I finally pushed him out the door it was very late. I had a sick feeling in my tummy when I thought about what my family would say to me in the morning IF they found out Jeff had been here for such a long time. I undressed in the lounge, hoping that when I went into the bedroom I could get into bed without waking Beth or Dad and Mum. I tiptoed into the bedroom but Beth was awake and said in a tight and very judgmental voice, “Where have you been. Did you have to walk home?” I told her I had been in the lounge. She glared at me and said, “you have not been in the lounge. You just came in the gate.” I told her that it was Jeff Berry who had just walked out the gate, it was not me walking in the gate. Beth was quiet for a while and then she said in a venomous voice, “I think it’s disgusting.” I said nothing but tried to go to sleep. I knew I’d be for it from Charles and Beth and Mum and Dad in the morning.

1957 0728 Sunday – I woke up at about 9.00 am still feeling very tired. Beth was awake, but I pretended to be asleep so that she wouldn’t have to talk to me. She’s certainly shocked at me. I hate to think what she thought I was up to in the lounge late last night with Jeff. Beth feels that Mum and Dad give me way too much freedom. She never had the sort of freedom that I have, but then, Sydney is not Adelaide either. I got up and removed my clothes from the lounge and hung them up. Then I had a shower and it helped quite a bit. I decided to tell Mum about last night because I felt sure Beth would say something sooner or later. I didn’t want to say anything though, because Mum and Dad would probably have their hopes high. They like Jeff and would be delighted if I was “going with him,” but I don’t think I will be. I guess I could persuade Jeff to go with me, but I’m sure he would feel “trapped.” I’m not going to force his hand. Anyway, I can’t afford the time it would take to have a boyfriend. If I went around with him now, the chances are I would have about half a dozen boyfriends before I got married. If possible I want to just have the one I get married to and leave out the others. Then I could devote the next few years to the Truth. If I could possibly control my silly head, I’d much rather not get married, because marriage brings too many time-wasting responsibilities and time is a commodity I can ill afford to waste. Anyway, I think I’ll leave it in the safest hands – God’s.

I told Mum I had come home with Jeff and that he’d left very late and that Beth was very mad at me, in fact “disgusted.” I also told her about Fred and Lew and the help Eric Grogran gave me last night and how much pressure I felt under trying not to “flirt” because of Charles’ and Beth’s constant criticism. As I guessed, Mum wasn’t worried about what Beth and Charles thought but she was half pleased and half not pleased about Jeff. She doesn’t trust Jeff though. She likes him a lot but feels that he’s too busy giving all the girls ideas. “In fact” said my dear mother, “He’s too much like you.” How am I to take that? She asked me to tell Dad, so when I was cleaning my teeth in the bathroon and Dad was having a shave, I asked him to have a guess who I had come home with last night. He said, “I wouldn’t have a clue. Which one was it this time?” I glared at him, and told him to have a guess. He said, “Fred Hackett?” I said “No.” He looked relieved at that. Then he went through a list of the other boys, Lew, Des, etc., then he said hopefully (I thought), “Jeff Berry?” I said, “Yes.” He looked at me with a grin and said, “What am I supposed to do? Congratulate you?” “No,” I said, “I’m just letting you know.” Then I told him that Jeff and I won’t be going together. He didn’t believe me though. He said, “You’ve got some sort of arrangement, haven’t you?” then he hugged me and went out. It’s just as I expected, Dad is so nuts on Jeff, he’ll go round really happy about it for the next few days.

At the meeting this morning, Brother Cookson exhorted. After the meeting I gave Bro Hurn the two letters I had promised him and then I talked to him for a while. Bro Gates came up as usual and started joking around with me. He’s quite crazy, but good fun. I borrowed some cash from Mum and bought “The ways of Providence” and “Conviction and Conduct.” For Keith’s 21st and also the “Two Babylons” for myself. After that I went out to help with the washing up. Jeff was there and he said “Hello,” and I said, “Good morning Mr Berry,” as I had told him I would last night. I talked to Keith for a while and he told me I had addressed my acceptance to him instead of his parents. I must have been in a dream when I did it. I’m sure though that I addressed it to his parents. Still I guess he should know. Jeff had disappeared by this time. I guessed he would, just to let me know that he’s keeping up with what he said last night. I went out the front and talked with Rosalie Foster for a while and then Nan and Mum and I went home.

After lunch I went into the lounge and did some typing. Then it got late and I was rushing again. We went to the Richardson’s place and picked up the twoRichrdson kids. Then we down to South Terrace and picked up Jeff. Very pointedly he sat with the two children in between us. He told me that Beth wouldn’t look at him when he said “Hello” to her, and I told him about last night after he had left. Jeff told me that when he had arrived home last night, Sister Pascoe had come into his room and asked him why he was so late. She had been worried. In the morning Ken told him that she had asked where Jeff was when Ken and John had arrived home without him. They had covered up for him and told him that there wasn’t room in Des’ car and Jeff had caught the bus home. Then John made a slip and mentioned that “Fay who came up on Eric Grogan’s arm.” He tried to cover up by saying it was Fay Wigzell, but she soon wormed it out of them and now she knows all the details. Jeff asked them to keep it under their hats. Wonder if they will. We picked up Bill and Trevor then and Jeff had to have Susan on his lap and he sat next to me with his arm around me. When we arrived at the hall we went inside and Charlie took over Bill and Trevor and they ended up in Clive Milverton’s class. There seems to be enough decent lads in that class to look after Bill Golley and Trevor Noble. When we walked into the class, Jeff looked as though he’d probably end up either sitting next to me or near me, so I “about-turned” and sat down the front and he sat at the back. That’s the way he said he wanted it, and that’s the way he’s getting it.

Charlie took the class today and the subject was the “Marriage of the Lamb.” Uncle Perce is looking tired as usual. They will kill him off yet. Dad came to pick Mum up, and I decided to go with them and not with Charles, though I was wondering if I’d be better to go with Charles for Bill Golley’s sake. Jeff came with us in the car and all the while we were jabbing at each other. There were some eggs in the back of the car and he suggested that it would be a good thing to put them between us. I asked him where he was going tonight and he said he might go to Adelaide, could go to Enfield, but not to Woodville. I told him I would be going to Enfield, so he’d better go to Adelaide. When we arrived home, I helped with the dinner. When that was over I started to type. I’m still in the dog house as far as Beth is concerned and she didn’t speak to me if she could avoid it. She was making out the lists for her 21st birthday party, and I guessed that she probably wouldn’t invite Jeff. I started to get mad, because I thought she was being silly as well as unfair. How easy it is to go down in her estimation. I think she’s terribly quick to condemn. Things she’s never been tempted by things that haven’t touched her, she just can’t understand. To her, Graham is an incorrigible flirt and she never ceases to be both disgusted and amazed at the number of girls that write to him and the number of girls he gets around with. As far as she’s concerned, there doesn’t seem much hope as far as he’s concerned and I think sh feels that I’m heading the same way. Whenever she sees a letter on the mantle piece for me, she looks her thoughts, “Another boy writing to Fay.” She seems to think there’s some hope for me, but since Dad and Mum don’t seem to be stopping me from “leading the boys on” she’s taking it upon herself to do something about it. She is assuming the “mother” role towards me because she thinks Mum isn’t doing her job.

Beth is a lovely girl. I just wish she understood that not all girls just meet the boy they’re going to marry first pop. Most girls have numerous boyfriends before they settle down. I’m only 17years’ old and why should I settle down to one boy? Why can’t I get to know lots of boys so I can better choose the kind of boy that will suit me. She says I’m only 17 and shouldn’t be allowed to go out with boys until a few years from now. Wow, I’ve been going out with boys since I was 13. No wonder I shock her. As for me “being a heartless designing creature” as she believes me to be, I wish she would realise that I am not like that. I haven’t gone with any boy except Barrie. The ones I have come home with, if they looked like getting serious and kept asking to take me home, I let then know just how I feel, with no beating about the bush. I’ve been hurt myself and I don’t just go around deliberately hurting others. That’s why I didn’t go home with Fred the other night, because I’d hate to hurt him and he’s obviously on the look out for a girl.

Charles and Beth think differently though, Beth spoke to Mum about my “behavior” and Charlie said that if I dared “put my claws into Fred, he’d personally wring my neck.” And they think I’d do that? Makes me so mad. When it was time for us to go to the night meeting I was feeling pretty much down in the dumps. I wanted to go to Adelaide where Jeff would be but I forced myself to go to Enfield. When we arrived, we sat in the row on the left hand side, next to Brother Manser. The seat I was sitting on was missing a few slats and was most uncomfortable so the whole row stood up and moved along. Then after Mum had moved, I found that the seat she was sitting on was missing more slats than the other one. She thought it was very funny. My cousin was speaking on something about the ATOM bomb and Israel. I’ve forgotten what the subject actually was. It followed the same line as Sunday School, the drying up of the River Euphrates and the coming of the “Kings out of the Sun’s rising,” etc. After the meeting I spoke to Judith Mansfield for a while, mainly discussing the Conference study groups, the problems evening – What Nicky Warren had thought about it, and about Barry’s baptism, which reminds me, I must write to him soon.

Joan Foulis told me that I’d have to put on an evening for Beth in Adelaide, because Lakemba would be giving the kitchen evening in Sydney. Wow, we’re going to be busy. I was just about dropping to sleep by this time and then Dad and Mum decided it was time to go home. I was glad. On the way back, we somehow or other got talking about what Beth and Charles had said to Mum about me. That I’m “a terrible flirt,” “that I lead the boys up a tree, and then cut it sown after them.” “That if I touched Fred, it would be the worse for me.” And that, of course, hurt me more than anything they could have said to me. What faith and trust they haven’t got in me. They’re sitting off at a distance, judging me, watching my every move and condemning me. I told Dad what Beth had said when I came in last night and how she though I was “disgusting.” Dad was really mad and said that if Beth and Charles weren’t satisfied with my behavior, then they should come and see him about it. He’s a bit prejudiced though, he thinks so much of Jeff, that he is blind to anything else. I guess if I’d come home with Fred Hackett and stayed up so late in the morning he’d have been mad at me just the same as Beth and Charles, but because I was with Jeff, I guess for Dad, that is different. I went to bed exhausted and thinking to myself how I wished I had not stayed so long with Jeff that night.