This cassette was formally my Dad’s ‘Dire Straits Hits’ tape, until I applied sellotape over the write-protection and recorded over it with all kinds of adolescent nonsense, personal mutterings and impressive keyboard solos (well, impressive to me at least). I’ve listened back to it numerous times, over the last twenty five years or so, as a window back to my youth. I had dozens of these tapes back then, but for some reason this is the one I’ve always held onto.

After mulling over what item I could give up, and going over numerous options that didn’t quite seem to fit, I suddenly remembered this old cassette and it was clear it had to be the item. While I give it up freely, I equally had no choice as, in a way, it chose itself. Richard