[susan53]

Have you ever had a student in your class who you know you'll remember for the rest of your life? I've had several - the litttle boy who was the most serious student in a class otherwise of adults, and the guy who got me vetted by MI5 because he turned out to be a Bulgarian spy, are high on the list. But there was one who was even more memorable.

I once taught an 8.30 class in the evening. It was made up of university students, all more or less my own age, except for one person - a retired man in his late eighties who, in his working days, had been the top lawyer in Italy and who was still mentioned in awed tones when people spoke about him. When I was told about the make-up of the class I was terrified - I couldn't imagine how I was going to integrate him, and the idea of asking him to do silly mime games or whatever seemed impossible.

I couldn't have been more wrong. From the first lesson it became apparent not only that he had an amazing intellect, but that despite a very frail body, mentally he was as young as any of us. I adapted activities a bit to make sure that he could stay sitting down whilst the others moved around and went to him, but apart from that changed nothing. He won the respect of the other students very quickly, and by the end of the course also their affection. I'll never forget him choosing the most undefendable position in a debate one day and then wiping the floor with everyone - in the nicest possible way.

I still feel privileged to have known him and often wonder what happened to him - by now he'd be about 115 so sadly he must be long dead. I hope it was peaceful.