My A-level results in 1998. I flunked my history A-level and lost my place at Cambridge. It broke my heart for years; now I’m really glad, because I pull out the whole “I went to a polytechnic” thing. But at the time for a teenager who was rather pleased with herself, it was absolutely devastating.
What has been your biggest disappointment?
Question
Who most deserves an apology from you, and why?
Failure & regret
Question
What song would you like played at your funeral?
Death & what remains
Question
When were you happiest?
Time & hindsight
Originally asked
The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A
This exact question recurs in The Guardian's institutional Q&A pool.
You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.
As a kid, I conjured up a glorious image of Buckingham Palace. I was totally deflated when I saw it for real.
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 30 January 2016 source ↗
Others on this question
View all 366 →
Adrian Dunbar
Irish actor
Not having come from a class that understands how the world works.
Prue Leith
South African-British chef, broadcaster, and writer
Public catering in the parks, where we lost a tonne of money. Now the public will buy excellent simple, fresh food. All they wanted in the 80s were slimy burgers, Mr Whippy and Coke.
Suzi Quatro
American-British rock musician
Not being able to have more kids.
More from Gina McKee
View profile →My brother: I never meant to kill your pet frog. I thought I was doing a good deed cleaning the mossy tank with bleach. Can I also say sorry to the frog?
Ronald Binge’s Sailing By.
Now is pretty good; at home, the stove is burning and I’ve cleared the inbox enough to feel that I can relax.
More on failure & regret
- Who most deserves an apology from you, and why? 209 answers
- If you could edit your past, what would you change? 203 answers
- What is the worst thing anyone has said to you? 122 answers
- Which moment embarrassed you most? 122 answers
- How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success? Do you have a favourite failure? 69 answers
- What is the hardest thing that has happened to you, and what did you carry out of it? 36 answers
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