Losing Your Identity

Perran got an email from UCAS – “Something has changed on your UCAS application; please log in to UCAS Track to view the changes.”

I watch with my husband and Carenza as Perran scuffles through the papers on his desk.  That UCAS ID number that he’d intended to get around to filing later is now nowhere to be found.  He needs it to access Track.

“Of course, it might just be another acknowledgement,” says Carenza. “Sheffield haven’t acknowledged you yet, have they?”

“Yep, yep.  I know!” he flings an empty envelope sideways.

“Or it could be a refusal,” she adds.

“I said, I KNOW!” he growls, shoving an avalanche of prospectuses onto the floor.

The rest of us exchange glances and file silently from the room.

After too long, the door into the kitchen bursts open.  We look up warily, but Perran is beaming,

“Sheffield have offered me AAB!  I wasn’t expecting to get an offer without an interview.”

We stop pretending to wash up and make a celebratory cup of tea. 

“Could I perhaps make a note of your ID number now?” I ask.

“Oh there’s no need,” says Perran happily, “It’s on my desk.”