Me: I absolutely love it when you show your playful side.
Nell: I’m a Senior Labrador. I don’t have a playful side.
Me: You most definitely do, Nell. I saw you and Harriet just now playing Cheeky Animals.
Nell: We were having a serious conversation.
Me: No, you weren’t. You were sticking your tongues out at each other.
Nell: Fine. I suppose there might have been some brief game playing inbetween. I won, of course.
Me: It looked more like a draw to me.
Nell: Did it?
Me: You’re obviously both excellent players.
Nell: I thought I had the upper paw, but you might be right.
Me: What were you talking about before the urge to play overcame you?
Nell: The birds and the bees, if you must know.
Me: I’d have thought you both knew about that already.
Nell: There’s always something to be learned. Bees are such interesting creatures and as for birds, well, where do I even begin? There are simply so many of them. Especially here in our village.
Me: Oh. So you were really talking about birds and bees?
Nell: Didn’t I literally just say that?
Me: Never mind.
Nell: Bernard Honeyman says the NHS is completely overwhelmed at the moment.
Me: It has been for years.
Nell: No, it hasn’t. There’s been a recent run on honey after the Twin Bears Escape and the bees are trying to keep up with demand.
Me: Oh yes. I keep thinking you’re talking about the health service.
Nell: I’m talking about honey.
Me: Honey isn’t good for birds.
Nell: Nobody said it was.
Me: It’s a shame really because the birds could help the bees with the distribution of honey.
Nell: Which is what Harriet and I were discussing before you interrupted us.
Me: I see. Sorry.
