The management were furious: they were doing 'Oklahoma'

Session two of Junior Leadership. The content is sound but some of the back-vibe is a little disturbing. It's becoming apparent that whatever we the trainees think we're here for the trainers have their own agenda. Quite early on in the proceedings I decide that the best course of action, for now, is to pretend I've not noticed.

A morning's worth of progress became badly derailed as, in the middle of an exercise where we split into groups to identify and discuss strengths and weaknesses within the Library Service, a figure materialised at the back of the room, like the shopkeeper in Mister Benn.

It was T.Aldous.

A wave of tension ran through the room. Daisy Duck grabbed my arm and hissed:

"What the fuck is he doing here? Is he staying? If he's staying, I'm off!"

Similar mutterings could be heard from other tables. I had no more idea than Daisy as to what was going on. And I was even more puzzled when the rest of Policy Team materialised.

It turned out that they'd arrived to partake of the free lunch "to be supportive."