Monday 7 August

I have been engaged, on a marginally increased salary, to deliver afternoon papers as well as morning ones! It is a much less complex task, for there is only one afternoon newspaper, the Tribune. I am becoming familiar with my route, or “round”, and am learning to be careful when delivering to those houses with fierce Jack Russell dogs or ladies with orange hair (she is still waiting for the Police to arrive, poor old dear!) or No 143 Bywater Street. I asked the newsagent (who I discover is named Clive) if I could forgo the morning round in favour of the afternoon one, but, if I can sum up his lengthy expostulations, “No you can’t”, he said.