Last night my cousin and her family, who are on holiday, came over to our place for the evening. At the dinner table fourteen-year-old William, who is keen on art, asked me a question about drawing, and every time I began to answer he butted in and finished my sentence for me. At length, after about five attempts (and ever so slightly ruffled), I looked at him and said, “If you’ll stop trying to pre-empt me I’ll give you the answer to your question.” As the word pre-empt left my mouth I wondered if he would understand me, not least because of his youth, but also because he is German… Also, I wondered if I was using the word pre-empt correctly in this instance and had a feeling that perhaps another word (which evaded me, and does still) might have been more appropriate.

I fancy it was the slight edge of annoyance in my voice that made my meaning all too clear. As it happens, William understood very well and bore no resentment for, after a split-second, he burst out laughing and pre-empted any further irritation (also, he let me finish my sentence!). In fact, we all laughed! We had lots of laughter and a lovely evening.