Chris Cheek – författare

For a whole variety of reasons, the bus industry continues to be of vital importance to the UK. It remains central to the economy, to plans to combat climate change and pollution, and to policies regarding social inclusion and accessibility. Yet, public and political comment on the industry continues to betray a lack of understanding and, it often seems, a degree of prejudice.

This book offers a clear, non-technical, jargon-free explanation of how the bus industry works. The chapters examine:

Peter Harvey is a second year undergraduate in the Oxford of 1968. At school, two years earlier, he had an affair with John, a younger boy, whom he then dropped. Now, John is coming to the same college.

Memories unlocked and Peter faces the issue of his sexuality, aided by his old friend and mentor, Arthur Benson, the school’s deputy head. Peter and John meet and resume their relationship, but can it survive the events of a traumatic summer?

Five years later, we see Peter returning to his old school as a teacher, seeking to build a new life. He settles in with help from Arthur Benson and new colleagues Terry Fowler and Ian Palmer.

The school has problems, though: it is stuck firmly in the past. A new headmaster, Bob Jordan, has plans for sweeping changes, but he faces opposition from a cabal of teachers, sixth formers and governors. They will use any weapon in their fight against reform.

Can they succeed? Will they destroy Peter’s new life? And where is John in all this?