For the purposes of this story, you'll need to know that my friend Rob is tall and thin, and my friend Alec is short and well built.

He's a very sturdy child and very healthy.

With his sturdy legs he could keep running for hours.

Of all secular ideals it probably has been the most powerful, apart from democracy itself.

When I joined my secondary school most of my friends were quite petite, but I was quite chunky.