Me: Are you even listening to me?
Nell: You were mumbling. You need to enunciate.
Me: Sometimes I think you and I are having a lovely conversation and you suddenly look away.
Nell: A Labrador must be constantly alert.
Me: So it has nothing to do with Herr Hoffmann taking freshly baked rolls out of the oven?
Nell: Did he? I can’t say I noticed.
Me: You noticed something.
Nell: I noticed the blankets are in a sorry state on my yellow chair.
Me: Oh, it’s your yellow chair now, is it?
Nell: I noticed you falling asleep in the afternoon.
Me: I’m still not quite well.
Nell: I noticed Romeo hiding behind the Stuffed Tiger on top of the wardrobe.
Me: Seriously?
Nell: Yes. I happened to glance up there and wondered why the Stuffed Tiger was wearing a black wig.
Me: I might have wondered about that, too. I mean it can’t possibly have fitted. It was made for a seagull. It probably only covered one of the Stuffed Tiger’s ears.
Nell: Have you quite finished?
Me: Yes. Did Romeo explain himself?
Nell: No. He took out his lute and played a tune.
Me: Did the Stuffed Tiger like it?
Nell: The Stuffed Tiger is a closed book. It never lets anyone know what it’s thinking.
Me: It is stuffed, to be fair. Did you see any biscuits?
Nell: No, but there was a half eaten bacon sandwich.
Me: That’s disgusting.
Nell: I agree. Food is there to be finished.
Me: I don’t want bacon on top of my wardrobe. It could attract all sorts.
Nell: Like Beefies and Stuffed Tigers?
Me: I was thinking more of mice and rats.
Nell: I don’t think there’s a lot of room left on top of your wardrobe.
Me: No. Sorry.
