Week 3, submit my exercise book, covered with the sports results section of a newspaper with my favorite team ringed and highlighted. A little concerned to see my friends had covered theirs with plain wallpaper off-cuts, brown paper, and the like.
In week 4, books returned to all but me. Called to the front of the class, and handed back my book. Told to explain to the class what I had done, to the great amusement of my friends. Then sent to give the same explanation to the Headmaster. I recall him telling me, before he caned me, that ‘for a bright boy, I really could be very foolish’, though he might have said stupidly.
But on neither of these occasions had I set out with the intention of being punished, it’s just that with hindsight, I can see that the probability of that outcome was particularly high.