
I can clearly remember the first I met Mr Andrews,my old headmaster,although it's over twenty year ago.During the war I had been at school in the north of England,but my family had just returned to London.There were not reough schools left for children to go to and my father had to go from one to another,asking them to take me as pupil.I used to go with him but he had such a hard time trying to persuade people even to see him that I seldom had to do any tests.We had been to all the schools near where we lived,but the more my father argued,the more impossible it became.In the end,we went to a school about five miles away from home.The headmaster kept us wait for at least an hour.While we were waiting,I looked round at the school building which was one of those old Victorian structures,completely out of date but still standing.I could hear the boys playing on the playground outside.When the headmaster's secretary finally let us to his office,Mr Andrews spoke to me first."Why do you want to come here?"he said.I had been thinking of saying something about studying,but Icouldn't help remembering the boys outside."I don't know anyone in London,"I said."I'd like to play with the other boys.I read a lot of books,too."I added,"All right."Mr Andrews said."We have one place free,in fact."My two years at that school were among the happiest of my life.