He studied the paper, then slid it back across the table.

‘You did the part that counted.

You showed up and applied.’

We argued gently about which part counted until we were both laughing.

Before we left, I asked whether he would speak at a future workshop about practical routes back into education.

He agreed, with the condition that I not introduce him as a hero.

‘I was a teacher,’ he said.

‘Helping students was the job.’