My children. I was away an awful lot when they were little and not very good at being a father when I was around. I could have done better.
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 5 May 2018 source ↗
The question
Who deserves an apology from you, and for what?Originally asked
The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A
A fixed Guardian Q&A prompt asked directly across respondents and years.
You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.
My children. I was away an awful lot when they were little and not very good at being a father when I was around. I could have done better.
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 5 May 2018 source ↗
My dad’s parents in Ghana, for not spending more time with them.
A little girl called Pat. We were nine-year-olds together and all the class made her life a misery. I knew she wanted to be my friend and I would only be friends with her if nobody else was around. I feel dreadful about that.
I’ve said sorry to everybody I wanted to – I’m good at saying sorry quickly.
If I have upset someone, I have said sorry to him or her at the time.
Getting my 21-year-old knees back.
I once had to dig a fire escape from a basement in a health club. It took two weeks.
A tractor, 12 years ago. Bright yellow and still brilliant.
At the time, losing our business, home and all our possessions in 1991 after the failure of our jewellery company. But if that had not happened then other good things would not have happened, either.
Despite a stroke, cancer as a child and various dramas with chainsaws and tractors, the closest was probably when I choked on a lamb chop 25 years ago. Sarah performed the Heimlich manoeuvre and the lamb shot out.
Julian Clary, Anne Enright, Siri Hustvedt, Lionel Shriver, David Baddiel, Ian Rankin
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