Blessed balm of amnesia

From yesterday's Guardian obituary for Alexander Piatigorsky, who taught at SOAS.

"Sasha found toeing the academic line somewhat irksome. Once, in the SOAS lift, a then director of the school drawled: "Ah! Piatigorsky, I forgot to tell you ..." "Stop there, director. Stop! I beg you – stop! As the great Plotinus never tired of saying, forgetting is essential. Any fool can remember ..." and he swept out."