The examined life, eh? Where does it get you? In lucid intervals, I can still translate Caesar, ablative absolute or identify a Miltonic simile, but that’s about it.

“Train A leaves station Z at 9:27am towards station X at 89 million miles an hour with driver called Tom, who has a moustache and wears a black hat. 

“Train B leaves station X at 9:43pm towards station Z at 97 million miles an hour in the opposite direction with called a driver called Reg, who has shaved and is hatless and looks a bit podgy. 

“What exact time would the two trains meet, cross, pass or crash? Or not?”

Or something like that. 

My goodness, it was rigorous. By such means did the gods condemn us tots to our fates. I gazed and guessed and cursed and wondered about the brave engine drivers. Was the moustache relevant? Or the obesity? Or the amount of steam? 

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