"Here they come. A-a-a-a-a-and there they go .....!"

It's official; I am a super recogniser.

Okay, when I say "official", what I really mean to say is, "I have decided ..."

Scoff you may, but I am telling you, as I read the above page (and other web-pages like it), I thought to myself that I could easily be classed as one of these 'recognisers'. Names I do fairly well with but with faces, I would say I remember 99.9% of every 'face' I've ever met, however fleeting.

I sometimes wonder, however, about faces from my very distant past? People from my primary school, for example. Would I recognise them confidently as I think I would? When I see Joseph and Annabel interacting with their friend's at school, I find it difficult to imagine that there will come a point where they won't remember those same children in years to come, with whom they spent day after day, learning with, playing with, arguing with. Of course, Annabel is too young at the moment but Joseph is the example I'm focussing on here.

I remember only brief snapshots from my time at primary school.

I can remember squirting water from a drinking fountain once, squirting it ar anyone who retying to walk past me and into the playground, finding it hilarious. What I didn't find so funny, was not seeing my very large Headmaster walking up behind me and seeing everything I'd been doing. Not did I see his enormous arm swing his enormous hand round in an arc until it connected incredibly hard with my backside, actually lifting me off the ground!

"I'll stop squirting it now then, shall I Sir?"

I remember getting extra pieces of cake after lunch from one of the dinner ladies with whom I walked to school. (There was no down-side to that little treat, let me tell you!!)

I can remember playing that wonderful game of kiss chase, running ever-so-slightly slower for certain girls to catch me, not to mention running like hell when other certain girls were within grabbing distance.

These brief memories came flooding back today, courtesy of seeing my kids from my usual fantastic vantage point; out of the main window on the top floor of the school.

Annabel was being chased by her little train of female friends in her little sectioned off corner of the playground, screeching with delight that she was pretty much the centre of attention.

I watched Joseph playing football for a short while before striking up a conversation with two of the girls in his class. Thanks to the school being involved in a healthy living project, lots of children are wearing pedometers and this was obviously the topic being discussed.

Joseph lifted his shirt, the three of them looked down at where the little machine was hooked on his trousers and then Joseph broke into a comedy run, arms pumping, head thrown back laughing, the two girls chasing him.

Thankfully, there was no kissing involved. I could just see the Headteacher calling me down for a "chat".

"It's about your son ..... "