KH handed me a small white box with a promise that he would explain the contents just as soon as he had checked the pan on the stove in the kitchen. When he failed to return, I popped the box into the pocket of my rucksack.

I forgot all about the box until the day of the Birmingham University reunion. I was walking up the wooded path in winter to campus with JG when the box dropped out of my rucksack. On contact with the snow, it opened up to reveal an elaborate engagement ring. I wondered whether KH missed it.

Also on the path we encountered a friendly fox, happily approaching walkers just like a domesticated dog, and one of JG’s friends dressed in army fatigues, firing pellets at us.

On arrival in our old department we clocked all the changes since we studied here. The most notable was a bed in the common room to accommodate students’ children, and private honorary carrells assigned to graduates who had published books since leaving University.

HVJ sat in her carrell surrounded by piles of papers and stationery. I introduced her to LM as one of my best friends, then burst into tears. TPR then pulled HVJ’s wrapped birthday present out of his bag, and she exchanged this with a present for me. I was delighted with my new child’s illustrated story book about a fox.