“Anyway, I’ve been talking about God-knows-what for too long now. How the f**k have you been? I mean, look, I know you haven’t been wonderful but I just want to make sure that you are OK, really, Sooty Stevens, because we do worry about you-”
“I am OK, yeah-”
“I mean I’m just happy to take you out for a spin and have a drink with you and all that sort of thing, you know, but Dougal’s really very concerned about you. He’s been ringing around, trying to make sure that everyone you know is looking out for you, and he’s just really a good friend, you know.”
“I do know. He’s lovely. Just lovely.”
“He’s turned out alright, I suppose.”
“Yeah? You suppose?” Sometimes in conversation with Bastian I do prompt him slightly like that, because it can be all it takes to set him off talking about so
