Forbidden Fruits

School boys, especially boarding-school boys, are always hungry, and anything to eat that is free is not overlooked - including forbidden fruits. Even though nature's time had not completed its full cycle, the pear tree to the north of Meister Omers, in the Archdeacon of Maidstone's garden was easily accessible by the ''Dean's Walk''.

Along this short passageway a young boy could quickly scurry under cover of darkness and lay bare a small tree laden with these luscious fruits.

And so it was...

Unfortunately at the beginning of summer and the beginning of a new term the ''Packam'' pears had not quite ripened, but this didn't stop young James from scaling the brick wall, treading the top in circus balance and rescuing the forbidden fruits before they were lost to another hungry world.

He completed his self imposed task with the precision of a military exercise, and soon his 'tuck-box' was full to overflowing. King's cadet Sergeant Major Barch would have been proud of this military precision. James learned a number of good and important lessons for survival in the fast lane at King's school life:

• Think ahead.

• Plan carefully.

• Own something others may also wish to have.

• Be generous - to a point only.

• Never divulge the source of the ''mother-lode''.

• Be patient!

And in this instance as the pears ripened in the confines of a very sweet smelling tuck-box, friends of all shapes and sizes gathered to enjoy some of the fruits of his labours.

Life was one step closer to being manageable, and the plethora of new friends was amazing!