I put on my long black cashmere coat, hoisted my rucksack over my shoulders, and headed out of the door to the bus stop. I could see a number 11 coming down the hill, but didn’t manage to reach it in time because an elderly couple was blocking the pavement.

I waited a long time at the bus stop in the cold. Thank goodness for the pair of the gloves that I found buried in my coat pockets. It was only when I checked my watch did I discover why there was so little traffic on the road. I’d left the house far too early for work: it was only 3:00am.