I caught the eye of Dr William, the white-haired, tweed-suited husband of our college president. So we started a conversation. I learned a bit about vegetable gardening and he asked about my course. Then it was my turn to start a topic.

“What is your area of expertise, Dr William? What did you do your PhD in?” I asked.

“It’s a bit of history — post World War Two Indonesia, in fact.”

I perked up. I knew that his wife was a historian. Perhaps that’s how they met. “Are you a historian?” Then, as my thoughts ran ahead, I said, “Oh! Was it history or current affairs?”