The Beginning Of A Friendship

Ailz's OU tutor Keith H retired at the end of the last academic year. We always liked him. Now that our "business arrangement"  is in the past there's the posibility we might actually be friends. We went to his house yesterday and met his partner and ate chocolate biscuits and talked for a couple of hours about books, travel and art. I believe we all had fun. He sent us home with a couple of bags full of Shakespeare vids he no longer needs.

These early moves in a friendship are exactly like courtship. You're looking for signs that the person really wants you there and isn't just being polite. I'm very, very conscious of how dreadful it is to overstep the mark. I've had people push it with me- back in the day when I was someone it might be profitable to know- and I've squirmed in my chair as they overstayed their welcome and ignored the ever heavier hints I was dropping. It would be so humiliating to be that thick-skinned, unwelcome guest.

Keith is going into hospital for an operation and we've said we'll take him grapes. He seems to like the idea.