There were two or three of us at school Christmas dinner, in the canteen, quickly swapping over directly with the same number of people on the next table so that we could sit together – except that we had all been told that no one was allowed to swap and we were to just sit where we were given a seat. We were sent by Miss Chevens, who was managing the dinner sitting and had spotted us swap with her eagle eye, to see Miss Cook to be punished that day. It seemed a bit harsh but Miss Cook was not best pleased and we were scared (this was in the1960s!). She said sternly we must “take our things off” and alter our ways. We looked at each other baffled, and started to undo our cardigans. What she actually meant was we needed to “turn over a new leaf” or something to that effect. We chuckled later on, relieved we had not been given anything nasty to do, just a ticking off!
Denise Preston
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