i liked to play in the corridor nearby because it was so rarely visited , which meant i was never bothered by nursemaids , who would invariably tell me to get off the dirty floor before i wore a hole in my trousers ; or by other well-meaning staff , who would engage me in polite conversation and oblige me to answer questions about my education or non-existent friends ; or perhaps even by mother or father , who would tell me to get off the dirty floor before i wore a hole in my trousers and then force me to answer questions about my education or non-existent friends .