Early childhood heroes. Remember them? For me, there were two: Peter Lorimer, Leeds United footballer, him of the 70mph shot, and Jackie Stewart - blue Matra-Ford, long hair, shades and corduroy cap.
They get you into bother, these people. Put on the spot by a three-man school interview panel when I was 11, I told them I read widely. Truth is, where I came from, at a time when you could actually go beyond the garden gate without an escort, all we did was kick footballs from dawn till dusk. With a three-month summer interlude trying to impersonate Geoff Boycott or Dennis Lillee (an Aussie fast bowler in case you're struggling).
The head wanted more detail. What was the last book I'd read?
"Treasure Island," I lied. I'd seen it there in my bookcase but never opened it.