School's out

In my case, school's been out for decades. So why do I still have all my exercise books from Queen Mary High School for Girls? Even the school was bulldozed years ago.

Is it Miss O'Donaghue's scribblings in the margins of my essay books that I cling to? However much I reminisce over my A-minus in maths, it isn't going to help me get me that elusive 'O' level now. Am I just worried I'll never see history book brown again? Whatever their charm, I just don't seem able to part with these classroom relics.

They've been kept in a suitcase that eventually gave up the ghost. Then they went into a box for years. They've lived in lofts, sheds and disused playhouses. Now they've been piled up near the front door for three days, which is just 100 yards away from a paper recycling skip. Kind of on death row.

They look sad. Maybe I'll just rescue them one more time.