So I was a bad student. Every evening, I would head home with school snapping at my heels. My reports testified to my schoolmaster's disapproval. When I wasn't bottom of the class, I was second to last. (Champagne all round!) At first severe spelling difficulties, rebellious when it came to memorizing dates and places, incapable of learning foreign languages, and with reputation for laziness (lessons not learned, homework not done), I brought home pitiful results unredeemed by music, or sport, or indeed any extra curricular activity. I was an object of amazement, and continual amazement at that, as the years [...]
