This is not a photo of me at the ball. I still don’t own a (useable) camera. This was taken six years ago during a first year university ball. The photo is relevant because I still own the same bow tie.

Ball highlights

• Friends complaining about being 25. As a 24 year old I wasn’t among those complaining – but a six year old photo does makes you think.
• Random bidding on rounds of golf from someone who doesn’t own a set of clubs, play and lives 100 miles away from the course.
• Shouting “lower” on a charity auction is in bad taste (sorry).
• 1am is past my bedtime.
• Realising that we have no keys on the way home.
• Desperately ringing 118 118 for an emergency locksmith.
• And I quote “I’m sorry, but I’m going to try breaking into out own house before calling you back”
• Being hoisted into the kitchen extension roof by a guy with a broken wrist in a cast
• Climbing through the window, disabling the alarm, opening the front door, saving £70. Not priceless, but a welcome prevention of a depletion in net worth.

Stories like this can’t be bought.