‘Can I see some ID?’ the Sainsbury’s employee at the check out said to me.

‘Huh?’ I stopped my packing temporarily.

‘Do you have ID?’ The man waved a pack of blackcurrant Soothers at me. I wanted them for my sore throat.

‘Erm.’ I opened my wallet and flicked through my cards.

‘No, sorry. I have a university student card…?’

The man shook his head. A university card wasn’t ID.

The man behind me in the queue noticed what was going on. ‘What? You want ID for cough lollies? You must joking!’ he barked.

‘Do you have a driver’s licence?’ the check out person asked, looking uncomfortable.

‘I don’t drive,’ I said helplessly.

My fellow shopper laughed. ‘Is the till asking you to check for age?’

‘Yes,’ the check out man said.

‘Man, you are doing your job a bit too well, don’t you think? Can you see it in the news? Student overdosed on Soothers!’

Turning to me, the check out man asked, ‘How old are you?’

‘Um, twenty-five.’

The check out man nodded and swiped the lozenges through.

Well, I am glad that the debate had been whether or not people needed to be over 16 to buy Soothers. There had been no question that I could have passed for a high school kid. It seems that I have retained my youthful good looks.