Monday 14th April 1980

Over the park.
Warm. Early evening. Sunshine.
Everyone is there.
And I am with Julie.
People separate into different small groups.
We all walk around lake. Talking to everyone.
But all the time. The whole evening. Julie and I remain together.
Holding hands or with her tucked under my arm.
Above the smells of spring I can smell this girl.
Almost taste her.
Denim rubs together.
Her hand is soft but not weak.
A small twig is tangled in her blond locks.
She lisps. I laugh. She pinches me.
Time passes...

Some people drift away.
It gets a little darker over the park. A little quieter.
The sun is setting or it may have just set.
But it stays mild.
It's not late. No more than 8pm. But for a short while Julie and I are alone. 
We lie down side by side on the grass of the old sand hills. Facing towards the lake.
I recall seeing a carp in the water, once, many years ago. Just down below the sand hills. The hills were higher then. Sandier too.
I turn to Julie, her hair and beautiful young face so close by.
I tell her she smells wonderful. Like a wood after the rain.
She puts her head on me. We say nothing else but stare into the slowly darkening evening blue. The vastness above us. 
The perfumes of spring rising all around.
I touch her hair. Then her lips. Her nose.
What is it that allows people to come together like this? 
What miracle allows strangers to become so affectionate, so close?
Suddenly there is some music. It is a short distance away, on the big portable cassette player which Mod is carrying for me. 

Music: Steve Hackett, Shadow of the hierophant

Julie turns her face to me. Smiles.
I want to kiss her but I do not.
Then we both shiver. Just a little.
We lie back.
And then we look up.
Once more.
Into the sky.
Side by side.

Suddenly I feel as if I know everything.
Oh God.
Stop the clock now!
Just now. 
Here. 
Like this.
I want to lie here forever with this girl at my side.
Whilst this tune opens the world up and, together, we slowly sink into the endless deep blue overhead...