Adrian Chiles reflects on how a long, hot summer day in 1984 forever changed his enjoyment of summer, after a romantic trip to Dorset ended in a farcical mistake and heartbreak.
The Great Heartbreak of '84
At 17, Chiles had his first girlfriend and a new driving license. He was eager to impress her with his literary knowledge, having read Thomas Hardy's The Mayor of Casterbridge and Tess of the D'Urbervilles. When she finished her A-levels and cycled to the south coast with a friend, Chiles pined at home, waiting for payphone calls and driving his old white Mini Metro while listening to sad songs.
Eventually, he drove to meet her on a long, hot summer day. He planned to take her to the Hardy Monument atop Black Down, believing it was a tribute to the novelist Thomas Hardy. He felt like a Hardy hero, taking in the magnificent views of Wessex.
The Wrong Thomas Hardy
Upon arrival, Chiles discovered the monument was dedicated to Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Hardy, the naval officer who received Nelson's famous dying kiss. The mistake was farcical and broke the romantic spell. Chiles recalls, "She said she wasn't bothered … but I could tell she wasn't feeling it." They camped near Lytchett Minster that night, and by dawn, she had dumped him.
Chiles drove her and her bike back to the West Midlands. When he told his parents, his father asked where it happened. Chiles replied, "Somewhere near Dorset." His father pressed, "Well, was it in Dorset, or wasn't it?"
Chiles concludes that summer has never been the same since that day, and he still feels the sting of the mishap. The article originally appeared in the Guardian.
