Me and Miss M [antikvár]

PrologueIn life, there are a handful of days when we experience key moments that either determine or fulfil our destiny, depending on what you believe in. I call these days 'destiny days'. These days have two things in common. One is that at the time they seem utterly ordinary and it's only ever with the luxury of hindsight that you realize that you've had one. The other is that you never, ever forget them.To understand me, in even the smallest way, you need to know about one of my 'destiny days'.It was the mid eighties, I was nine years old and on the surface it was a completely average Saturday for the Mas si household. My brother, Daniel, had left for football practice and Mum and I were looking forward to watching the afternoon movie in peace. Outside, the light from the lamp-posts was bleeding into the grey November gloom and it had started to drizzle. I thought with some satisfaction of my brother, who'd be shivering as he ran up and down a soggy pitch in the freezing cold. The smell of cooking wafted through from the kitchen.'Film starts in a minute,' said Mum, as she sat down next to me on the sofa.'What's it called again?' I asked, taking her elegant hand and placing it in my own.