October 1967, London
Following that old cliche, ‘what you don’t know won’t hurt you’ in matters of fidelity, I struggle with whether to let boyfriend William know about my one-off rendezvous with the visiting American tourist Edward that happens when William is away on holiday in Spain with mystery ‘friends’ he says he’s known since before he and I met in April. He says the holiday was ‘great’ but doesn’t elaborate which makes me suspicious. I tell him I’ve been spending time with my friends Michael and Raymond and that I’ve been to Le Duce, the Soho gay dance club. Maybe it’s the need to tell him that since I know he’s been cheating (in spite of his lame denials), that I met ‘someone’ while he was away, maybe it’s the need to let William know that ‘two can play the game’….whatever it is, I tell him about Edward.
His reaction is surprisingly mild – guilty conscience, I wonder? – especially since Edward is already back in Chicago. I’m reminded of the lyrics of one of my favourite soul tunes from a few years earlier… ‘They told me I was such a fool to love you, they say that you’re the kind who’ll never be true…’ Baby Washington’s ‘That’s How Heartaches Are Made’ is resonating in my ears…
