I went into Keyingham Primary School with several creative writing colleagues yesterday. I chose to read a story to the reception class. I had a football and a marble for ‘visual aids’ but needed a medium sized ball, so a classroom assistant lent me one. After the story I gave it back to the assistant and went off to meet the others A different classoom assistant tried to return it to me so I explained it belonged in the class. Then a little boy came running out with the ball. I explained again. Finally the class teacher came along and handed me the ball. She eventually believed it was not mine. The headteacher said I caused great consternation among the children, who called me ‘the lady with the ball’. But I think they would have said, ‘The lady with the balls’ - she was just being polite.