X wanted to move to the same Californian seaside town where I had settled. The first job he took there was as a waiter, but he had an eye on something more exciting – teaching watersports to children.

I tried to put in an advance order with him for my morning bowl of muesli. He suggested that I would save money if I just went down to the car park at the shore where breakfast cereals were available free of charge. You could also help yourself to summer dresses.

On our way to this source of free food and clothing X reminded me that we had slept together when he was my student. It was so long ago that I had almost forgotten.

“Don’t tell TPR”, I said. “He wouldn’t want to know this”.