“Once a year, at about this time, Mr Dear attends an unofficial school reunion. Unofficial in this case means that they meet in a pub restaurant and get slightly drunk.
About five years ago, there was a special dinner in honour of a history teacher called Wilkinson. Wives were allowed to attend, and I had a long chat with Mr Wilkinson.
‘I don’t remember you,’ he said.
‘Well, you wouldn’t,’ I said. ‘It was a boys’ school.’
‘Ah, that would explain it.’
He looked sadly down the
