Annie was my Client back in Colgate days - many moons ago. I was at Masius and she was on some of their key brands like Snugglers nappies and Soft and Gentle Deodorant. She was as straight as a die, honest in her opinions, always respectful and always fair, in other words a great Client. She also became a dear friend. I remember once attending a meeting with her in a large, plush Colgate office overlooking Oxford Street. We were relatively junior but seated around a magnificent glass table with one of my agency colleagues, whilst we waited for an Executive Board member to finish his phone call. In the middle of this table was a huge, Lalique glass apple. It was a memento from the launch of Woodleigh Green Apple Shampoo and it had a seductive wave of green glass inside it's crystal rounded form. It was begging to be touched. Annie and I managed to fight the urge but whilst we waited my agency colleague couldn't resist. He stroked the rounded apple form whilst we watched and for some reason known only to him, he tried to lift it. Within a few seconds it had slipped from his grasp, hit the centre of the boardroom table which split from one corner to another, like Aslans stone! The room fell silent, the Colgate Board member stopped speaking. Annie and I were rigid in shock. 'Oh' said my agency friend 'it's ok the apple's fine!' We laughed about it many times since but it was one of those dramatic moments seared into the brain. It took all my personal skills and Annie's too to recover the situation, let alone to continue with a presentation of agency creative work which if I remember correctly was not approved! Can't think why? Dear Annie, I always think of that day and smile. You were always generous of spirit, so helpful to me with advice on my writing for children and so very, very brave. We will all miss you dearly. ...And if you happen to be sitting up there in one of those heavenly offices, keep that agency colleague of mine who is up there with you, away from anything breakable!