I had never appreciated just how resource-hungry exam invigilation could be. In this instance two of us were responsible for watching over MG as she tackled the 1979 English language O level paper (even though she was already a graduate of QM). It would have been very easy to cheat with the three of us sitting together so closely and nobody else in the room to observe us. However, we were professional to the end, and I entertained myself by admiring the dinky exam stationery and accoutrements. The exam paper itself came in a beautiful blue-bound booklet, about the size of a US passport, and students were supplied with squares of old-fashioned correction tape in case of grammatical emergency.

Afterwards JH gathered all the QM staff together to celebrate the end of the academic year with an impromptu drinks party, complete with Champagne. Here we planned our next social gathering. I was quite shocked at the suggestion, but was eventually persuaded of the fun we would all have re-enacting the horror movie Carrie.