The Stone Roses and a girl called Claire

We were fairly inseparable for most of the rest of the week. The next time we went to the disco, I think we were both looking forward to the kissing bit the most. This time, it was again on the walk home, but this time on a bridge, and even more passionate – I think I got to what Americans would call “second base”, and Claire had amazing boobs, in fairness to her.

We held hands everywhere – whether it was walking across fields going to watch my brothers play squash, or in the swimming pool before getting on the waterslide.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ka2NrHWl8no]

One afternoon, we left Centre Parcs to go into Nottingham on the bus together. I can’t remember too much about it, except for us going to HMV where we each spent some of the money we’d got for Christmas. I bought 808 State’s 90 album and Claire bought Bizarro by The Wedding Present on my recommendation – both on vinyl of course. By the time we got off the bus, at the entrance to Centre Parcs, it was getting dark. It was quite a long walk back into the complex through dark woods, but it was quite romantic. I think Claire said something about bunny rabbits making love in the woods, and for a moment I thought she might’ve meant perhaps that’s what we should be doing, but I erred on the side of caution, and didn’t say anything. I did wonder if I might finally lose my virginity with Claire, and started thinking about where I was going to get a condom from, and where we could do it – in the car maybe? – we couldn’t risk it in one of the chalets! There was also the minor consideration of Claire not turning 16 until January. In the end though, the week ran out before I had the chance to ask her about it.

One other funny incident that sticks in my mind though was the last time we went to the disco. Claire was propositioned by another girl who said she was really pretty! I was quite proud I suppose that I had a girlfriend who was fancied by both boys and girls!

We of course resolved to stay in touch, swapping addresses, and promising to write. I left Claire a long love letter, and a red carnation – I couldn’t find a rose – quoting (and very slightly altering) the Stone Roses lyric:

“Have you seen her, have you heard?
The way she sways there are no words
To describe the way I feel.”

in reference to her dancing skills (the actual lyric is “way she plays”). I also left an NME compilation video for her to watch, featuring bands like The La’s and The Inspiral Carpets, and Morrissey, along with less well known bands like Bradford and Spacemen 3.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZXLLMbJdZ4&ob=av3n]

So we stayed in touch – we wrote each other letters for a good 3 years afterwards (I’ve kept all of Claire’s letters), sometimes the letters flowing quickly between Bridgend and Tunbridge Wells, but things would never quite be the same as they were on the holiday.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3PYL-0GJ6w]

The first couple of letters were filled with love and romance, Claire jokingly quoting “Romeo and Juliet” in one letter which we both studied at GCSE. I tried to convince her that the carnation I’d left was in fact a rose. For Claire’s birthday, for a joke, I sent her the 12” of “Can’t Shake The Feeling” by Big Fun, which I think made her laugh. But a disaster occurred when Claire sent me back the NME video. I opened up the jiffy bag, and inside was the video, but no letter, which I found a little strange. I waited a couple of days, and still, no letter, and now I began to panic. I wrote a long letter asking Claire if perhaps she was having second thoughts and that perhaps she viewed it as just a holiday romance, etc. Still no word, so I rang her. Claire simply said, “Nick – open the video box!” I ran to the box, and inside was a beautifully written, perfume-scented letter!

Pages: 1 2 3