An acorn of friendship Up to the smoke today as Mum is going to hospital tomorrow for her operation. Also had a lunchtime meeting in The Acorn of Swinton Street with Mike, who is the publisher of On Track amongst other things. I arrived early and took the opportunity to wander about the area a little, which I'd not been to for ages. Near The Acorn was The Water Rats theatre which, in another life, I performed one of my plays on a double bill, the other being by my old pal the late Timothy Gallagher. I'm fairly sure I'd not been inside it since then. Had a heroic lunch with Mike, starting at 1.00 and lasting till about 7 o'clock. Had a bream on a bed of complicated salad with two bottles of wine, and discussed our business, and generally shot the breeze. Found we had loads of interests in common, and I came away thinking that I'd made a new friend. Also I will be doing lots more interviews, and Mike mentioned some very interesting names, which will be great. Eventual...