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Of the seminal moments in my life, Careers Day in the autumn of Year 5 is my favorite. Everyone had to dress as whatever they wanted to be once they grew up. I had gone in a tweed jacket and a bow tie, and when Miss Weston asked me what I wanted to be, I told her that I wanted to be the Doctor.
'Shouldn't you be wearing a lab coat and stethoscope like Paul?' She pointed to Paul Black, who was trying to strangle everyone with the stethoscope in question.
Before I could answer, a boy I didn't know from the other class spoke up.
'Paul's *a* doctor,' he explained, giving me a look of approval. 'He wants to be *the* Doctor.'
'Who?'
'Exactly,' we said at the same time, relieved that she understood.
She didn't. We were sent to the quiet table to reflect on why cheeking teachers was wrong.
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